Abstract:
Preoccupied With Austin celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Austin International Poetry Festival by bringing together poets who have or will contribute to the success of the festival. Poets whose work is included are neither the most celebrated of the festival’s contributors, nor the most experienced. Their poems illustrate differences in style and theme that have made the festival a success. At the same time, the collection as a whole highlights the character of Austin as a city that stimulates the muse within its populace and offers venues for sharing the written word with friends and neighbors.