When The Orchard was published in 2004, the American poetry scene was diverse and varied, with many poetic schools and no single dominant movement. However, one of the most influential literary theories at the time was that of postmodernism, which began in the years following World War II and has continued to influence American poetry through the initial years of the twenty-first century. Postmodernism is perhaps best known for challenging traditional understandings of reality and contending that the world is composed of infinite layers of meaning. Psychoanalysts such as Jacques Lacan began to challenge previous standards in psychological, philosophical, and linguistic thought by questioning the commonly held belief that human psychology operates in a structured symbolic universe. Innovative theorists like Lacan have inspired a variety of new literary movements and have moved many poets to be skeptical of straightforward depictions of reality.

Postmodern philosophies and linguistic theories...