Poems on the Underground: an anthologyThis is a collection of poems displayed as part of the scheme that gives the book its name. Not only is the poetry great but the presentation of the book makes it a joy to read too. The poems span aeons from Michael Drayton to winners of the current Young Poet of the Year; the emphasis is on the quality of the work. Also of importance, to me, is that all the poems are fairly short, which suits my preference - I don't do epics. You can get a sample of the scheme by visiting the Poetry Society web site by clicking here.
52 Ways of Looking at a Poem: Ruth Padel
Ruth Padel, herself an accomplished poet, wrote a column in The Independent on Sunday newspaper. The purpose of the column was to help readers understand how modern poetry worked. This book is a collection of a year's worth of her column. If you hesitate to appreciate modern poetry this is for you. Ruth takes 52 individual poems and talks you through the way it hangs together, the meanings and suggestion, hidden rhymes and much more.
The Rattle Bag: edited by Seamus Heaney and Ted HughesAn eclectic collection of poems from around the world, this collection has been around for years. My copy is ancient from the early eighties. It is interesting not only because of who the poems were chosen by, but also because it is deliberately international with many poems in translation. The emphasis is on exploring poetry outside the usual repertoire and it works.
The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms: Mark Strand and Eavan Boland
Another book about poems. Ever wondered what the rules of poetic form are? No? oh you can stop reading now then; because this book tells you about the formalities and manners of form. You, like me, may have read poems that seem to follow a poetic rhyming scheme, not knowing that it is not simply the invention of the poet but is rather a form laid down years ago requiring great skill. Want to know about a sestina or a sonnet? This is the book for you.
2 comments:
hmm @ 52 ways to look at a poem .. but there's only one way that's right .. right?
Maybe only one way in the mind of the poet, but for me the beauty of poetry is that each time you read one they sound different; and can also mean different things dependant on what's happening in your life.
I think that's particularly true of modern poetry that, sometimes, is so oblique.
I wonder if poets get angry when a reviewer writes about their poem and gets it all wrong:
"That's not what it's about at all!"
Post a Comment