Praise for Vow to Poetry

“On the map from east to west and across the scale from treble to bass, Anne Waldman is possessed with a passion to witness, to understand, and to describe. . . . Vow to Poetry is a vow to life—enlightening, challenging, and crucial to the American tradition.” —Lisa Jarnot

“The vitality of Anne Waldman’s engagement with poetry is manifest in every piece collected here, and taken together they demonstrate not only the depth but also the scope and duration of that engagement. This is a wonderful book, informative and also inspiring.” —Lyn Hejinian

“From St. Mark’s in the early sixties, to her stewardship of Naropa to her worldwide travels, Anne Waldman has shown herself to be one of the key players on the U.S. poetry scene. Her energy, her total commitment to her art, and her cultural work are a wonder to behold. Anyone who wants to understand how poetry and poetics have evolved over the past four decades must read this new collection of essays, interviews, and critical prose. Wherever it happened, Anne was there.” —Marjorie Perloff

“A vatic, versatile display of Waldmania!” —Lawrence Ferlinghetti

“Here is a voice from the frontlines of poetry’s improvisational traditions. Waldman is a wild doctor of generative structures. This is an important book for anyone interested in the intersection of political, performative, and spiritual practices.” —Peter Gizzi