posted 30th November 2023
1. The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms
This book by Mark Strand and Evan Boland is terrific because it provides a breadth of poetry for the reader across several centuries through different poetic forms. It is, therefore, great if you read poetry for the first time but equally so if you are a more experienced poetry reader. The book highlights a good sample of most Western poetic forms. It is also more than just a good book for poetry readers. It represents an excellent point of reference for those who would like to try writing poetry. For example, after reading the chapter on the sestina, the book will introduce the reader to the general rules of writing a sestina as well as to a breadth of sestina examples written by several different poetic voices. The usefulness of this book for anyone interested in poetry is why we have decided to place it at number one on our list.
2. Shakespeare's Sonnets & Poems (Folger Shakespeare Library)
To be a Shakespeare reader or not to be a Shakespeare reader? That is the question. Are you worried that you might get lost in Shakespeare's words? Don't worry, you are not the only one! Similar to The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology, this excellent Shakespeare compilation covers a breadth of the Bard's work and serves as a good reference and guidebook for those who want to work out his possible and actual meanings. This book gets to the essence of Shakespeare's writing with additional pointers by some of the world's leading Shakespeare scholars. By the end of it, you will feel much better versed!
3. The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas: The Original Edition
There is a huge reason why Bob Dylan changed his surname from Zimmerman to that of this great poet's first name. The genius of this Welsh poet, who led a very tortured life until his early death at thirty-nine in 1953, caused him to pen such literary greats as "Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night." This poem is a villanelle and has aroused great discussion about the symbolism within it. Even the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney has weighed into the debate, indicating the poem's importance. The true beauty of much of Thomas's work is that you don't necessarily have to search for its true meaning. Instead, you appreciate the complexity and intensity of his use of language in the poetic form. While it might have meant a particular thing to him, it might mean something slightly different to you as his reader. Try reading them and seeing what feelings they conjure up inside of you.
4. Major Works (Oxford's World's Classics) by John Clare
We decided to put John Clare's poems so high on the list because he was a remarkable character who was entirely self-educated despite coming from an impoverished rural background. Because of this background, his somewhat cruel contemporaries in early nineteenth-century England labelled him "The Peasant poet." Yet his stunning descriptions of nature at a time when the freedom of rural people in England was becoming constrained as more common land became enclosed caught the attention and still does. Sadly, John Clare spent much of his adult life in a mental asylum, and it was there he wrote "I am", which is a particularly evocative and emotional piece that transcends the years. A genuinely underrated Regency poet who deserves much more credit!
5. The Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath, an American poet, won the Pulitzer Prize while her English husband, Ted Hughes, became England's poet laureate. Plath's life was tragically cut in 1963 when she committed suicide. With this in mind, it is perhaps very fitting that Ted Hughes wrote the introduction to this book. One of the notable themes of Plath's work is her feeling of isolation as a woman in the mid-twentieth century. Perhaps one of Plath's most famous poems is "Daddy", which details her relationship with her father. However, a personal favourite of mine is "The Moon and the Yew Tree", which is also about her dark feelings. Although the theme in this poem is dark, there is a natural beauty in the wording and in the choice of symbolism. The poems of Ted Hughes are also highly recommended. We would have added a compilation of his work to the list if space had not been so limited!
6. 100 Poems by Seamus Heaney
We have already mentioned this Irish great and Nobel laureate in entry number 4. He was, of course, a great admirer of Dylan Thomas, yet this fact should not distract you from Heaney's poetic genius. This book comprises Heaney's more well-known poems and some other hidden gems. There are quite a few Heaney poetry books, but, in our opinion, none are as comprehensive or broadly encompassing as this anthology. One of the major recurring themes of his work is Irish history, and Heaney gives us a crucial first-hand insight into this, whether it is "Clearances", which speaks deeply of his familial past and loss and death. Another famous poem of his is "Death of a Naturalist", an incredibly intense poem describing an interaction with frogs.
7. Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry by Maya Angelou
We wanted to bring to the list the voice and feelings of a marginalised and oppressed poet who, through their work, has defied the odds. Maya Angelou's often defiant poems evoke solid feelings and yet bring hope that there will be a better day. Her words carry dignity and gravity. For me, as the reader, her poems provoke a feeling of reverence and anger that it is still possible in the modern age for so much social injustice to exist. An example of this recurring theme is "Still I Rise". On another theme, death, "When Great Trees Fall" is also notable.
8. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation (Bilingual edition) by Seamus Heaney
The importance of this poetic saga, originally written in Danish, cannot be underestimated. Its influence on poets and writers today is enormous. Once again, the great Seamus Heaney's name crops up again. This is because we recommend Heaney's translation of this enduring classic. He kindly dedicated the book to Ted Hughes, who, as we mentioned before was the husband of Sylvia Plath. Beowulf is the saga's hero, which involves defeating not just one terrifying monster but the monster's mother, thus saving the Danish people. In the right-hand margin of this version are helpful annotations, aiding the reader's understanding of the text.
9. Lord Byron: The Major Works (Oxford World's Classics) by George Gordon Lord Byron and Jerome J. McGann
How could we not include the iconic Lord Byron in our list? After all, he stole and broke the hearts of many admirers in the Regency world through his irresistible poetic genius. He was effectively a rock star of the nineteenth century. One can argue, however, that the fact his poems still stir people today suggests that his power over the written word represents much more than this. A personal favourite is "English Bards and Scotch Reviewers." In the poem, Byron is unafraid to go through several British poets and either mock or praise them via satire. This poem is a good guide for us to explore other poets. Such poets include Pope, Dryden, Southey, Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Scott, whose works are still readily available today. Will you agree with Byron's opinions on their work?
10. The Portable Beat Reader (Penguin Classics) by Ann Charters
Isn't it funny how names have a habit of recurring in this list? This time, it is Bob Dylan, who is a terrific musician and arguably a well-regarded beat poet. Thus, he gets included in this beautiful collection of prose from the Beat Generation, a movement which began in the United States in the 1940s. Ann Charters expertly gathers the most important names of the Beat generation, from Dylan to Ginsberg, in this collection. This generation is intriguing because it often wholly broke away from traditional poetic conventions and revolutionised the poetic form to bring on something fresh, new, and an in-your-face way of conveying a message.