Poetry Daily Offers Daily Poem and Poetry Resources

Posted on September 17, 1997

Poetry Daily, a web site for professionally published poetry, reported passing one-million hits at the end of August after less than 5 months in operation. Founded in April of this year, the online anthology offers a new poem every day from more than 50 poetry book and journal publishers. The service is one of many sites benefiting from the growing popularity of poetry on the World Wide Web.

"Our goal is to make poetry a part of daily life again," said co-founder Don Selby. "Using the web, our readers can enjoy a new poem over their morning coffee, at the start of their work day, or on their lunch hour. "

Although more than a thousand poetry books are published in the U. S. annually, promotional budgets for poetry publications remain small, and competition for bookstore shelf space has intensified. Editor and co-founder Diane Boller believes Poetry Daily is the answer to these dilemmas for both readers and publishers. "I often had trouble choosing blindly from the limited choices on the bookstore shelf. I needed a place where I could sample the range of new poetry. That's exactly the service we provide. We're bringing readers and publishers together at no cost to either party."

In addition to the daily poem, Poetry Daily offers daily poetry news, an extensive poetry archive, an event calendar, and special features on new publications. Regular registration contests offer prizes such as a newly released audio CD featuring Billy Collins, and copies of the popular print anthology The Best American Poetry 1997. Publishers featured on the site include W.W. Norton & Company, Alfred A. Knopf, Poetry, AGNI, Beacon Press, Yale University Press, BOA Editions, Copper Canyon, Graywolf Press, University of Massachusetts Press, Chelsea, Sarabande Books and many more.

Poetry Daily can be found at poems.com.