In my last post, I asked every reader to get out of their comfort zone and try a little bit of poetry. I can understand, though, why many of you may still be adverse to trying it. A lot of us experienced crappy English classes in high school and teachers forcing us to read pieces that don't mean anything to us. The great thing about modern poetry, however, is the astounding diversity of style. I am convinced that each of us would be able to find poetry we enjoy, if we did a bit of work. Here are some poetry books I've read, each with a completely different tone of voice, message, structure, and style. I highly encourage you poetry slackers to check one of these out, if they peak your interest.
1. Come Here by Victor Clevenger
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Come Here is an assortment of excerpts taken from Clevenger's longer works. I have the honor of knowing Victor Clevenger personally and it is a real treat to hear him read out loud, as well. I'd recommend this book to those who like a bit of tragedy and heartbreak in their poetry, and to people who enjoy very small passages with many layers of meaning.
2. Captivity by Laurie Sheck
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Laurie Sheck's collection is something I'm still trying to figure out. Her poetry is extremely obscure and the cover of it fits perfectly: Figuring out her words are like a complicated maze. I'm not sure if Sheck intended to be this obscure or I'm just crappy at interpreting poetry, but all in all, she writes some incredible words. I would recommend Captivity to patient people that enjoy thinking and analyzing.
3. Thank You, Fog by W.H. Auden
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Auden is a modern classic. I picked this book up on a whim and ended up enjoying it much more than I expected. Auden's poetry deserves to be constantly reread, at least once a year. I try to come back to this book every once in a while to see if I learn anything new, and I do. You'd enjoy this book if you tend to reread and enjoy a bit of longer poetry. Auden has many poetic voices and styles and his work is often very versatile. I couldn't imagine someone not enjoying Auden.
4. Ten Poems About Tea compiled by Sophie Dahl
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This isn't a book just about tea. This is a book about tea and how it affects love, relationships, beauty, and longing. Ten Poems About Tea is a new favorite of mine because I not only love tea, but I seriously appreciate the beauty of each word in this compilation. This book is a great example of how someone can write a poem about anything and make that thing more beautiful than it really is. If you often see beauty in common things and like to ponder romantic notions, give this book a try.
I hope this list will broaden your view of poetry and that you'll perhaps check one or two or all of them out!
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