The Affrilachian Poets: A History of the Word

What’s In a Name?

In 1991, Frank X Walker learned he did not exist.

That year, a reading in Lexington, Kentucky, featured four authors from the bluegrass state and poet Nikky Finney. Dubbed “The Best of Southern Writing,” the reading changed the course of Walker’s life. The original title of the event, “The Best of Appalachian Writing,” had been altered to accommodate Finney, a South Carolina native. Finney, who is African-American, was the sole voice of color in the lineup.

There are so many good poets out there; I despair of ever catching up. I know and enjoy the work of Frank X. Walker, Nikki Finney and Crystal Wilkinson, and am looking forward to reading more of these poets when my stacks get less intimidating.

I should mention I learned of this through Travis Nichols' post on Harriet, which is a lovely place to find discourse on all kinds of poems and poets. It seems strange to me that his post has exactly no comments, when most anything on any obscure or tired subject gets a few experts in line to quibble or augment. This post has been up for a few days, and no one's showed. Make of that what you will.