Bert Meyers: On the Life and Work of an American Master (Unsung Masters)

The latest volume in the Unsung Masters Series brings to readers the work of Bert Meyers. Here, we offer a large selection of his very best poetry alongside essays and appreciations from José Angel Araguz, Jim Bogen, Victoria Chang, Amy Gerstler, Garrett Hongo, Daniel Meyers, Barry Sanders, Ari Sherman, Maurya Simon, and Sean Singer, and others. The Unsung Masters Series exists to bring great but largely overlooked writers to new generations of readers.

"Bert Meyers is an American original--a brilliant poet whose use of tone and figurative language was so emotive, intelligent and nuanced, it became inimitable, became its own unique perspective on our world. I wouldn't be surprised if mid-21st century scholars announce that in Bert Meyers we have overlooked the best poet of his generation. Immense gratitude to Dana Levin and Adele Williams for this rediscovery."--Ilya Kaminsky, author of Dancing in Odessa

Poetry. Literary Criticism.

Dana Levin studied under Bert's spirit while at Pitzer College from 1984-1987. She is the author of five collections of poetry, all from Copper Canyon Press: In the Surgical Theatre, chosen by Louise Gluck for the 1999 American Poetry Review/Honickman First Book Prize; Wedding Day (2005); Sky Burial (2011); Banana Palace (2016); and Now Do You Know Where You Are (2022), a New York Times Editors' Choice and Lannan Literary Selection. Levin is a grateful recipient of honors from the National Endowment for the Arts, PEN, the Library of Congress, as well as from the Rona Jaffe, Whiting, and Guggenheim Foundations. She serves as Distinguished Writer in Residence at Maryville University in Saint Louis.

Adele Elise Williamsis a writer, editor and educator. She is a PhD candidate in Literature and Creative Writing at The University of Houston where she serves as Nonfiction Editor for Gulf Coast. Adele is a finalist for The Georgia Review's 2022 Lorraine Williams Poetry Prize and the winner of the Emily Morrison Poetry Prize and Inprint Donald Barthelme Prize for Poetry as well as the recipient of fellowships from UCROSS, Inprint, and Hindman Settlement School. Adele's work can be found or is forthcoming in The Georgia Review, Crazyhorse, Guernica, Cream City Review, The Florida Review, The Adroit Journal, Beloit Poetry Journal, and elsewhere.