Poetry, Please

[Bearded_Dragon]

So, I've decided I want to get into poetry more than I do at the moment (which should be fairly easy as I read, effectively, no poetry atm). 

 

I was wondering if you clever people could point me in the direction of:

 

1) a decent anthology of some classic/famous poems (thinking things like "the lady of shallot", "this be the verse", "the wasteland", etc. etc.)

2) any modern poets that particularly speak to you

 

I know poetry is a very personal thing and what you like may not resonate with me, but as I'm fairly naive in my poetry knowledge, any information would be appreciated!

 

Thanks!

[Sarah Barr]

Can't go wrong with a book of Shakespeare's sonnets. Or just get the complete works and enjoy all the verse in the plays as well. 

 

And a modern poet I really like is Benjamin Zephaniah. 

[Basement Cat]

The Broadview Anthology of Poetry is a pretty good one. You have all the classics like Shakespeare, William Blake, Robert Burns, William Butler Yates, Shelley, and loads more. It also includes a section detailing some technical terms and a short biography of all the poets included in the book. It doesn't have all the works of the authors, but it includes their most famous ones.

[Bearded_Dragon]

Thanks all for the suggestions! Amazon: here I come!

[fitnessgurl]

http://m.poemhunter.com/poem/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud-daffodils/

I thought I'd share this one.

[Bearded_Dragon]

Thanks! That is a beautiful one. 

 

That site looks helpful, too!

[fitnessgurl]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000F7K2G0/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1452552856&sr=8-4π=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=a+treasury+of+best+loved+poems&dpPl=1&dpID=51846WNZAPL&ref=plSrch

I have this one.

[Bearded_Dragon]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000F7K2G0/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1452552856&sr=8-4π=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=a+treasury+of+best+loved+poems&dpPl=1&dpID=51846WNZAPL&ref=plSrch

I have this one.

 

managed to get a cheap one on amazon.co.uk - very excited now!

[PaladinShoshannah]

I always recommend Mary Oliver; she is a poet who used her writing to reconcile the beauty of life with the knowledge of death, and for myself, reading her poetry is almost akin to prayer. A sample is here: http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/geese/geese.html  Her poetry evokes a kind of melancholic, wistful joy, which is not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. 

 

Another contemporary poet is Richard Siken, who has some of his work listed online on his website, so it is easy to "try before you buy." 

 

Finally, Jane Hirshfield, who captivated me with this poem: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/176487

[Bearded_Dragon]

I always recommend Mary Oliver; she is a poet who used her writing to reconcile the beauty of life with the knowledge of death, and for myself, reading her poetry is almost akin to prayer. A sample is here: http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/geese/geese.html  Her poetry evokes a kind of melancholic, wistful joy, which is not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. 

 

Another contemporary poet is Richard Siken, who has some of his work listed online on his website, so it is easy to "try before you buy." 

 

Finally, Jane Hirshfield, who captivated me with this poem: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/176487

 

Thanks for the tips. REALLY enjoyed that Mary Oliver one!

[Slayer]

I love Dylan Thomas, of "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" fame (which, if you haven't read it, is the poem they quote throughout Interstellar). Also Robert Hass, whose poem "Happiness" is one of my favorites.

[fitnessgurl]

How goeth the poetry reading?

[Ballad]

Poetry! One of my favourite things. Here are my suggestions for you:

 

1. Rumi. His poems are beautiful and mystical and invite you right in. I particularly enjoy translations by Coleman Barks.

 

2. Power Politics by Margaret Atwood. It's a collection of short, intelligent poems. Really well done.

 

3. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. A classic.

 

4. +1 for Shakespeare, +1 for Pablo Neruda

 

5. For super modern poetry, check out Nicola Cayless. She's a talented writer, and posts poems on Tumblr in addition to having her own book of poetry: http://moderateclimates.com/tagged/poetry

[Bearded_Dragon]

How goeth the poetry reading?

 

It's good! My treasury of poems arrived yesterday and I've been diving in! I've started with some Keats. 

 

Thanks for the other suggestions, everyone, I feel this is quite the adventure I've embarked upon

[AverageFish]

I check this website most days (or you can sign up for daily emails):

 

http://www.yourdailypoem.com/

 

It's a mix of classic and modern poets, so it can give you a good variety.