Poems Between Women: Four Centuries of Love, Romantic Friendship, and Desire ANNOTATION
1998 Lambda Literary Awards, spirituality/religion category
FROM THE PUBLISHER
The collection Poems Between Women explores many facets of female-female relationships in poems not only about love or affection between or inspired by women but also about the moments that complicate and call into question the nature of sexuality and intimacy between women. Including women married and single, young and old, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual, the anthology covers historical development and changing mores through the seventeenth century, after the Restoration of Charles II, a time of relative freedom for women; the eighteenth century, when the cult of romantic friendship reached its peak; the nineteenth century, when women writers wrote about issues of same-sex desire indirectly and explored complex issues such as death in tones of weariness and resignation; and the twentieth century, when poets began to engage in more overt explorations of women's bodies, sensuality, and lovemaking. Emma Donoghue's introduction deftly guides readers into the rich tradition of women's poetry in English, exploring the relationships between poets and their muses and poets and their cultures. Poems Between Women is testimony not only to the recurring theme of the unique bonds among women but also to the universality of love, friendship, and creativity.
SYNOPSIS
With poems in English by over one hundred female poets -American, English, Scottish, Canadian, South African, Indian, Irish, and Australian -this is an extraordinary collection that pays homage to four centuries of women´s desires, friendships, and expressions of love. The collection is testimony to the rich tradition of female verse a
FROM THE CRITICS
Chicago Tribune
An eloquent tribute to love shared by women.
Chicago Tribune
Poets from the last 400 years contribute to this rich anthology of women's love poetry, which includes works from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Dickinson, Audre Lorde and Adrienne Rich. This collection, revealing secrets, longings and startling friendships, is an eloquent tribute to love shared by women.
San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle
Dazzling in its range and scope, [Poems Between Women] places in sharp focus the matrix of women´s lives, socially and emotionally, over four centuries....Outstanding.
Booknews
A hundred poems arranged chronologically illustrate how women present
their affections for each other as childhood playmates, romantic
friends, and lovers. The poems are all in English, but the poets are
from all parts of the former British Empire. They are married and
single, young and old, lesbians, heterosexuals, bisexuals, and
romantic friends. Dates and countries are given for each poet.
Indexed by title and author.
Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
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