Forty contemporary poets write about the connections between their lives and their love of words in brief commentaries that preceed a selected poem or poems by each one. Liz Rosenberg's anthology is notable for the outstanding and diverse selection of poets and poetry it introduces as well as for the thoughtful and inspiring statements by each of the artists on their work. Two black-and-white photographs accompanying each poet's commentary, one showing her or him as a child or young adult and one as he or she looks today, add another unusual element, as does Rosenberg's brief closing chapter, Ways to Use This Book, in which she launches ideas for creative expression from comments that many of the poets have made about writing. (Age 12 and older)