THE VOICE OF THE POET Anne Sexton

The Voice of the Poet series, produced in installments over a three-year period, is gleaned from Yale library's extensive archive of poetry read at the university over the years. Each program provides a survey of the poet's work at both its strongest and most characteristic; cumulatively, the series reveals the lifeblood of poetry: a human voice making experience into art. Not surprisingly, some of the poets read their work better than others. Anne Sexton's voice is strong and true, almost unrelenting in a 1960 reading, mellower in a reading two years before her suicide. All the programs in the series could not have been put together with more care. A sixty-minute cassette presents the poet reading his or her own work--each includes some never-before-released recordings of the author. Included also is a booklet with a ten-page insightful introduction by noted poet and critic J.D, McClatchy, the text for the twenty or so career-spanning poems read by the poet, and a brief reading list. Beyond the content is the stunning design of the individual packages. Overall, The Voice of the Poet series should stand as a benchmark for other audio poetry programs. P.B.J. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 01]