As you may know by now, I love poetry. There are three full shelves plus a few other books scattered about. Here’s another half shelf, the other half next week.
click to see bigger
left to right:
- Anthology of American Poetry edited by George Gesner – more than 600 poems and songs from the 17th to 20th century. This is a particularly good anthology.
- 101 Favorite Cat Poems compiled by Sara L Whittier
- Many Voices An Anthology of Contemporary Canadian Indian Poetry edited by David Day & Marilyn Bowering. I purchased while on a trip to Yellow Point on Vancouver Island in 1983.
- The Gift of Tongues – 25 Years of Poetry of Copper Canyon Press edited by Sam Hamill. Copper Press has been publishing the poetry of native people worldwide for a long time.
I got these first three when I was in high school, the others in college:
- The New Pocket Anthology of American Verse from Colonial Days to the Present edited by Oscar Williams (1966)
- A Pocket Book of Modern Verse English and American poetry of the last 100 years edited by Oscar Williams (1957)
- Immortal Poems of the English Language edited by Oscar Williams (1966)
- 20th Century Chinese Poetry: an anthology translated and edited by Kai-Yu Hsu (1964). Fascinating comparing the spare Chinese style to the often flamboyant English-speaking works.
- Poetry: a Critical and Historical Introduction by Scott Foresman (1962) Textbook.
- The Harper Anthology of Poetry edited by John Frederick Nims. Another very good anthology.
- When Elephants Last in the Dooryard Bloomed – A Celebration for Almost any Day of the year by Ray Bradbury (1977). Bradbury’s poems are fun.
Now for the Brautigan: I keep them together, though one of these is a novel.
- Revenge of the Lawn Stories 1960 – 1970 by Richard Brautigan
- A Confederate General from Bir Sur by Richard Brautigan
- Trout Fishing in America by Richard Brautigan
- Rommel Drives on Deep into Egypt by Richard Brautigan
- The Pill versus the Spring Hill Mine Disaster by Richard Brautigan
- In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan
and the rest,
- Major British Poets a anthology of two centuries of poetry by 23 great British poets edited by Oscar Williams
- The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll, Modern Library edition. Includes all of his poetry and novels.
Tip the Wink 
Not really a fan of poetry. I do like Coleridge, cummings, Yeats, Eliot but have read little since college. My main problem with poetry is often not having a clue about what I just read. Besides, I can’t keep up with all the short stories and novels I want to read, both which give me more pleasure than poetry.
Steve, I don’t read poetry that much anymore, but during the pandemic I find it a nice break. Most of these books have been on my shelves for many years.
The last time you did a post on poetry books, I vowed I would find a book of poetry to read, a few poems a day, either one already in the house or order one. But I haven’t done that. I will start looking around for something.
Good for you!
Do you read modern poetry too, Rick? When I first started writing, I began by writing poetry. But discovered in order to write good poetry (or even middling), I would have to take many classes in understanding it. So I switched to fiction. I do like May Sarton, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Mary Hood, Mary Oliver, Philip Levine, E/E Cummings, Philip Larkin, Ted Hughes, Roethke, and others but I no longer seek it out and in fact, when we moved got rid of most of the poetry books.
Some of my poetry books are what’s considered modern, Patti, and I have some of the authors you name.
Nothing for me here. I have studied Wordsworth, Hopkins, etc. but poetry ad me have never been sympatico.
Maybe you just haven’t tried anything the “spoke” to you, Jeff.
It has been ages since I’ve read Brautigan. Like Rod McKuen, his books used to be everywhere, but he was far, far more readable.
I wouldn’t connect Brautigan and McKuen in any way, except time period.
I’m impressed by all the poetry you have in your collection! I read Brautigan back in the Sixties, but I think I only kept TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA. I was never a Rod McKuen fan.
Same here.
By the way, what the hell is going on in Portland! You’re on the national news every night!
I assume you are referring to Rick being named Sexiest Man of the Year — West Coast Edition, George. I can’t turn on my television without having that story repeated over and over.
Jerry, it’s because they keep confusing me and George Clooney.
Buncha idiots downtown, and Trumpsters deciding to break heads. I keep thinking the whole mess has run it’s course, but no. We’re in what’s called Far Southwest, miles away from the clashes. It all started as reaction to Floyd’s killing, but then became a “thing” and goes on night after night.
Portland has been set up to give us a preview of Trump’s America where Brown Shirts stir the pot and then they send in the regular cops to beat up the protestors. Really scary stuff.
Right you are.
I certainly wouldn’t consider myself well-read when it comes to poetry, but I like what I like and I’m often impressed with how well poets can project ideas with words in such a creative and interesting way, different from prose.
I had mentioned before that my most recent poetry addiction is Mary Oliver. I’ve purchased and read several of her poetry and essay collections over this COVID summer, often reading at least one or more poems each morning, sitting outside on the deck. I’ve also shared her work with others and got them buying/checking out her books.
I’ve always enjoyed Poe’s poetry, I’ve enjoyed the little bit of Emily Dickinson I’ve read, same with Edna St. Vincent Millay. I haven’t read a lot of Tennyson, but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read. And then I know I’ve read some random poems by others. Certainly Robert Frost. I really like most of Neil Gaiman’s poems.
You’ve got a really nice collection!
With more to come, Carl. The Mary Oliver essay collect is on hold at the library.