The Best In Poetry 1999

The Best In Poetry 1999
You need not be a poet or poetry enthusiast
to enjoy this book. You really need to read these books.
This is true freedom of expression. Times may
change, along with how we put our feelings into words,

but human dreams, aspirations, and emotions never
change. This is poetry from the heart shared in words.
While at first a poem may sound simplistic or enigmatic,
if you read it again you’ll uncover its special merit and
realize why we selected it. I tried to quote exemplary
exciting lines of expression that every reader will enjoy.
To do so was nearly impossible.

For example these magical lines (of so many!):

WHISPERINGS
It wasn't there just yesterday among the gold and red.
It wasn't there amidst the pines when I went to my bed.
It came in silence through the night without a word or song.
It came 'midst mornings graying clouds it came, but won't last long.

A whispering-- the year's first snow was left upon the ground
Was left upon majestic hills, a dusting all around.
Hoarfrost left upon the trees, a stillness fresh and new
Shimmering crystals coat each leaf, earth's pureness to renew.

Like a moment frozen in time a winter's scene entrances
Whispers joy, despite the cold, brings rest to life's expanses.
But wait, the morning sun breaks forth and shouts,"Tis still my day!"
And with her warming golden rays melts whisperings away.
DAVID GOFF

I am confident that the poetry selections published by J. Mark Press
represent some of the best poems and poets of our era in America.
Our editors considered thousands of entries to select the poems
included here. After several years of publishing many amazing
contributions of poetry in Penman Magazine, it became apparent
that anthologies dedicated only to poetry were needed.

These early anthologies 1966 to 1972 were painstakingly
handmade using primitive stencil tools and an electric mimeograph
machine. Sometimes plugged ink holes on the drum escaped our
weary eyes and and some bald spots were printed. But we weren’t
going to let a modest budget stop us. We did whatever we could to
keep on publishing. Barbara Fischer invented a method to mimeograph
replicated color (similar to silk screen).

Professionally printed and bound anthologies were only a dream
back then, causing us to “take a break” in 1977. But in 1999 the
dream became a reality! High speed laser printing and the computer
made “real anthologies” a well-earned reward, a professional book.
J. Mark Press published and copyrighted poetry anthologies from
1966 to 2003  (some years I took “time-out”)