(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)October 1, 2019

MAHWAH, N.J. – The work of Ramapo College Professor of Creative Writing James Hoch has been included in the 2019 edition of The Best American Poetry, recently published by Simon & Schuster. Hoch’s poem “Sunflowers” was selected from literally tens of thousands of published poems including those that are selected to grace the pages of prestigious periodicals such as Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker and American Poetry Review.

“I’m honored, of course, to be selected among this group,” said Hoch, admitting that he spent about four years working on this poem. “It was actually rejected several times before it made it into the American Poetry Review last year. You always ask yourself, ‘Have I done enough for this poem?’ so it’s quite rewarding for it to be recognized.”

“Sunflowers” conveys a message of personal relationships and loss, inspired by a museum viewing of Vincent Van Gogh’s famous paintings.

Since 1988, The Best American Poetry has been the leading anthology of contemporary American poetry. The book is available at booksellers and online.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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