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If you were to introduce one book of poetry

Rachel_Lauren
Thought Provoker
United States 3awards
Joined 13th Nov 2019
Forum Posts: 23

...to me, what would it be?

I’m drawn to raunchy, gritty and grotesque but beautiful, serene writing all the same - as long as it has a unique quality and isn’t classically verbose. Isn’t insanely mythical.

I know that’s somewhat specific and sort of a selfish request - but these don’t have to be your personal favorites by any means.

I’m just curious what could be out there amongst this group to wet my interest and I’d love to read more because of it.

poet Anonymous

I can’t do just one... not with poetry.... lol


Nathaniel Tarn - Recollections Of Being

Near me there is a second hand book shop. Usually I go in and raid their poetry section. I pick up what I am drawn too. And that’s how I find new things. Sometimes it’s rubbish. Sometimes it truly touches me.

This is one of the deep feelz.

This has been my go to anthology for a while now. Nathaniel Tarn is an anthropologist who writes in this very methodical scientific way. But he writes of himself and societal observations in a way that just touches me, because he realises there is a dark undertone to the world out there.

Worth checking out.

U.A. Fanthorpe - Safe As Houses

U.A Fanthorpe was a lesbian poet. English.  She writes on varied topics from suicide to poverty to gender roles — but has a voice that gets under my skin. She loves England most of all and this is reflected in her writes.

Aurélia Lassaque - Solstice & other poems

She makes the world shiver with darkness and light at the same time. I don’t know how she does it, but her accute observations of the world are not to be missed. Translated from French.

Ted Hughes - Birthday Letters

If you could list my favourite dark poetry books of all time, birthday letters would be up there. Fused with the death of Sylvia Plath and his own self loathing. Mixed with the almost occult way Hughes viewed the world. It’s full of agony and regret. It’s so macabre you just can’t turn away.

Till Lindemann - On Quiet Nights

Till Lindemann is actually the lead singer of the heavy industrial metal band Rammstein, but writes very abstract, dark poetry. Complete with illustrations and translated from his native German, it’s a mind fuck of a read.

Adrienne Rich - Diving Into The Wreck

Famous feminist, poignant wordsmith. Diving into the wreck really scratches the surface of what it means to be alive. She dares to feel and I love that about her.

Donald Hall - White Apples And The Taste Of Stone

Rocked by the death of his wife, he writes heartbreaking poetry of death, mortality and grief. As well as acute observations of society and Americana. I love how Donald Hall words things. It’s unparalleled.


... I think that’ll do ya for now


Rachel_Lauren
Thought Provoker
United States 3awards
Joined 13th Nov 2019
Forum Posts: 23

Incredible! Thank you much for these suggestions and their descriptions. I will explore! 📚

dartford
Paul S...
Tyrant of Words
United Kingdom 29awards
Joined 13th June 2013
Forum Posts: 249

and I'd just add the selected poems of Stevie Smith ..

Ahavati
Tyrant of Words
United States 116awards
Joined 11th Apr 2015
Forum Posts: 14271

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

The Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks

Wild Geese and Devotions ( and anything, actually ) by Mary Oliver

So. . .many. . .more.

David_Macleod
14397816
Tyrant of Words
United Kingdom 39awards
Joined 5th Nov 2014
Forum Posts: 2983

12 Rules for Life (An Antidote to Chaos) by Dr Jordan Peterson

A life affirming, Life chaning read for many thousands of readers, I include myself in that.

poet Anonymous

Nine Stories: J.D. Salinger        On The Road: Jack Kerouac
Pablo Neruda: Late & Posthumous Poems
Complete Short Stories: Ernest Hemingway

Josh
Joshua Bond
Tyrant of Words
Palestine 40awards
Joined 2nd Feb 2017
Forum Posts: 1688

Bloodaxe's anthology "Staying Alive" (2002) ed Neil Astley
https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/staying-alive-709

It's the first of a trilogy of anthologies.
The next two are:
Being Alive (2004), and
Being Human (2011).

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