Two recent books on contemporary poetry address the impacts of neoliberalism and precarity. In Poetry Matters, Heather Milne focuses on feminism; in Forms of a World, Walt Hunter addresses globalism. Both scholars discuss works by various Anglophone poets, and their transnational approach situates the work of these writers in international contexts. Milne concentrates on American and Canadian women poets, while Hunter discusses English-language poetry from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Africa, the Middle East, and the United States. Neither book mentions neoconservatism or authoritarianism, but Milne does refer to neofascism when discussing Trump. For both critics, capitalism is paramount, destructive, and inescapable, although the poets they cover imagine better alternatives. Both books are clear and well organized, making them enjoyable to read.
In Poetry Matters, Milne investigates poems by women “that are socially and materially situated yet not always referential” (5). She applauds the way these writers enact...
