Fast Speaking Woman

In this expanded 20th-anniversary edition, Anne Waldman enhances her collection with 20 new poems that explore her deep connection to “chant” in contemporary performative poetry. The work features a blend of spells, invocations, and ritualistic expressions, reflecting her exploration of the spoken word's transformative power. Accompanying the poems are three essays discussing the oral tradition, performance art, and themes such as intoxication, Tibetan Buddhism, and the resurgence of feminine energy in literature. Waldman, a celebrated figure in poetry and co-founder of The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, is renowned for her dynamic performances and has published over 30 poetry collections.