As another tribute to National Poetry month, I’m offering up ideas of places to start in order to “taste” poetry. I hope you’re moved to grab one and give it a try. And in full disclosure, let me admit to pirating a few choices from the lovely list compiled by Nancy Pearl and given out in her interview with NPR earlier this week.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tinfoilraccoon/ / CC BY 2.0
1. E.E. Cummings – My earliest recollection of real poetry is Cummings and his famous untitled piece that begins, “anyone lived in a pretty how town with up so floating many bells down“. As you can tell, Cummings paid little attention to syntax or punctuation and in this particular piece he notes the passage of time with lines like “stars, rain, sun, moon“. These are fun to read and some can definitely be shared in an intimate setting.
2. Paul Guest – This writer’s poetry is stark and unforgettable. In Guest’s My Index of Slightly Horrifying Knowledge all of the poems are tainted with bitterness and contain a deep sadness. The poetry details a life set apart as the author reflects on a single event in his life – a childhood bicycle accident which left him a quadriplegic. The poetry is powerful and memorable. Read them alone.
3. Ted Kooser – I’ve mentioned him before but Ted Kooser’s ability to translate everyday occurrences and common items into verse that when strung together, has a remarkable eloquence and never leaves me guessing. His familiar tone is like slipping on my favorite wool clogs. Check out Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry written with fellow poet and longtime friend, Jim Harrison. These are meant to be shared around the table before or after the evening meal.
4. Richard Hugo – Hugo was one of the popular Northwest poets. His direct style of writing makes me feel as if his poetry was intended for me to read it. In her interview, Pearl suggested his collection, Making Certain it Goes On. Maybe one of his secrets is revealed in his statement, “Never write a poem about anything that ought to have a poem written about it.” Read Hugo poems while traveling.
5. Shel Silverstein – Not poetry but The Giving Tree has been a favorite of mine since a very young age. Now, with children, we’ve delved deeply into Silverstein poetry collections such as Falling Up and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Silverstein had an amazing ability to make silly stories about things that kids wonder about. Read his poetry at bedtime with a kid or two or three.
6. Song of Solomon – I hadn’t thought to include this but recently heard a radio program where a scholar talked about the significance of this book of the Old Testament. It is clearly poetry and one that speaks to the intimacy of deep romantic love. If you haven’t read it, do but do it with your beloved.
7. William Stafford – This is another Northwest poet who also wrote in words that all of us use every single day. I believe he is also the father of poet Kim Stafford. Try The Way It Is – New and Selected Poems. Read William Stafford poetry outdoors.
8. Naomi Shihab Nye – Nye is the daughter of a Palestinian father and an American mother and much of her poetry traces those roots. However complex her background, she writes about everyday occurrences like the barking dog that lives next door or the olives on a porcelain plate. When she is not writing her own poetry, she explores her talent at creating anthologies. Try her first book Different Ways to Pray. Read it anytime.
9. Edward Lear – Recently there have been a few classic poems that have been illustrated and published as children’s picture books. The Owl and the Pussycat is one such book. It is best read aloud with a child on your lap.
10. Maya Angelou – Her list of accomplishments, talents and publications is long. Maya Angelou is a memoirist, a civil rights activist, an actress, screenwriter, an educator and a poet. She has received three Grammy awards and is often remembered for the poem that President Clinton requested she compose to read at his 1993 inauguration. Dr. Angelou’s reading of her poem “On the Pulse of the Morning” was broadcast live around the world.
Agrigirl's Blog 
pearlz
/ April 23, 2010Great list, might inspire me to do my own list. I love Maya Angelou and EE Cummings.
fitandfortysomething
/ April 23, 2010what a fantastic list of people and yes beautiful poets as well. to your question on my blog….yes those were potatoes on the pizza-crazy i know! have a great day 🙂
Joanne
/ April 23, 2010I love poetry and it’s really odd, but sometimes as I’m walking or running, all of a sudden a poem from YEARS ago will suddenly pop into my head. When that happens it usually goes on my blog since it’s associated with something I’ve seen or done on my adventure.
There is one from EE Cummings that I barely remember…isn’t it something about the beach..”maggie, millie, molly, and may went to the beach to play one day….etc.” ? then continues on about some monster? Any one care to help me out here?… or maybe it wasn’t even by EE Cummings.
Tammy's Husband
/ April 23, 2010Yes, it’s Cummings… one of my favorites. I read him every night with Tammy.
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea
Bonnie
/ April 23, 2010My littlest daughter has a poetry project coming up and I think its time to get out our Shel Silverstein books. Thanks for writing your blog. Your descriptions of the poems and poets even sound like poetry with your artful descriptions. Thanks!
Tammy McLeod
/ April 24, 2010Thanks for reading it Bonnie.
Dan Murphy
/ April 23, 2010Why does it not surprise me that someone dedicated to the beauty of nature and the garden would also love poetry? You’ve inspired me to pull out a poetry book today.
Tammy McLeod
/ April 24, 2010That’s great Dan! I hope you enjoy it.
All things nice..
/ April 24, 2010Tammy,
Thank for visiting my blog, oh I’m not the best at poetry, although we did learn about alot of the english and irish poets when in school like Yeats, Heaney, Wordsworth, etc. I also love Helen Steiner Rice.
All things nice…
Tammy McLeod
/ April 24, 2010And thank you for the return visit. I will have to look up Steiner Rice.
Estrella Azul
/ April 24, 2010Love this list you provided, Tammy!
And the way you wrote about all the poets, i could really feel your love for poetry while reading your post!
Tammy McLeod
/ April 25, 2010What a nice thing to say! Thanks Estrella.
Tiffany Anderson
/ April 26, 2010I’ve suffocated my passion for poetry and you’ve just resurfaced the desire… thank you!
Tammy McLeod
/ April 27, 2010Go for it Tiffany!
Simply Life
/ April 26, 2010oh what a fun post and list!
Tammy McLeod
/ April 27, 2010Thanks and thanks for stopping by.
bermudaonion (Kathy)
/ April 27, 2010I’m going to copy this list down because I really would like to “taste” poetry. Thanks for putting this together.
Tammy McLeod
/ April 27, 2010You are very welcome. I hope you enjoy it.
eatandtalk
/ April 30, 2010What a great list! I love e.e. cummings – I remember asking my english teacher why I couldn’t write my name in all lowercase letters like he did and she said when I got to be famous I could write however I wanted. Ha!
I also really love Edwin Arlington Robinson, T.S. Eliot, Saul Williams, and Sekou Sundiata (although, he’s really more known as a spoken word artist).
Oh, and thanks for visiting my blog!
Tammy McLeod
/ May 1, 2010Making the list was really hard and since then I keep thinking of others that should be on the list. funny about the lower case letters – I think I did that too.
Sophie33
/ June 30, 2013Thank you for this lovely read, Tammy! I lerarend a lot!