Spoon River Poetry River Digs Deeper into the Critical Essay

Kristin Hotellina Zona, the new editor of Spoon River Poetry Review, introduces herself in the Summer/Fall 2010 issue by making promises to both maintain traditions and make some changes. One change will be more prose in the magazine, since both readers and writers “depend upon criticism that engages the poem directly.” Thus, SRPR “will now feature a substantial analytical essay that blurs the line between the relatively short, opinion-driven review and conventional criticism.” The issue features Andrew Osborn’s review, “Like Animals, Like Love,” which includes readings of new books by Peter Campion, David Baker, and Melissa Range in the “model of critical investment” Zona hopes to see regularly with each issue.