The anthology draws together the work of women poets from Britain, Ireland and America as one version of a history of women’s poetic writing, while not isolating women’s writing from its intersection with the work of male contemporaries.

Tracing an arc from Charlotte Mew to Stevie Smith, from Sylvia Plath to the writing emerging from the Women’s Movement, and to the more recent work of Medbh McGuckian, Jo Shapcott and Carol Ann Duffy, the anthology draws together the work of women poets from Britain, Ireland and America as one version of a history of women’s poetic writing. It shows important connections between the work of women poets and shows how – throughout past 100 years – they have developed strategies for engaging with a male-dominated tradition.

Modern Women Poets allows the reader to trace women’s negotiations with one another’s work, as well as to reflect more generally on the politics of women’s engagement with history, nature, politics, motherhood, science, religion, the body, sexuality, identity, death, love, and poetry itself.

'A surprising and substantial anthology’ – Faith Lawrence, The Poetry House Magazine.

'An excellent, comprehensive survey…the headnotes to each poet are interesting and informative’ – Michael Glover, Independent.

'She makes her subject matter. It is impossible to read her and remain disengaged, and this is an important achievement' – Jane Griffiths, Times Literary Supplement.