The final assignment for WR 100 “Poetry Now” asks students to write a book review that puts two or more books of contemporary poetry into conversation. Because we are reading newly published books from independent presses, our framework for considering such books is often minimal: an interview with the author, a review or two, and our own discussions during class.
In her review of Silent Anatomies and Tributary, Vanlizza makes compelling connections between two very different books without forcing them. She demonstrates that she can read visual poems and make sense of complex forms, never losing sight of the larger issue—how the authors speak for and complicate our notions of specific marginalized communities. Perhaps what is most exciting about Vanlizza’s essay is that it constitutes the first published piece on Tributary. A BU undergraduate has started the academic conversation about an important book by an LGBTQ writer.
— JESSICA BOZEK
WR 100: Poetry Now