Spoon River Anthology
- First published
- 1915
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"Spoon River Anthology" by Edgar Lee Masters is a collection of free verse poems published in 1915. Set in a fictional small town, the work presents 244 epitaphs spoken by the dead themselves from beyond the grave. Each resident reveals their true story—their turning points, secrets, and real manner of death—without facades or fear of consequence. Through cross-references between characters, their testimonies weave together a candid portrait of small-town American life, exposing hidden relationships, buried scandals, and the stark realities beneath the surface of respectability.
- American poetry
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #1280. Spoon River Anthology on Wikipedia.
