How Do I
25 Books of Poetry for National Poetry Month
"This list consists of the books I would want to have if the entire world of books was reduced to 25. They are books that, at one time or another in my life, hit me powerfully, that made me see things differently, and that to this day have resonance. They are in order of importance, so if there were only to be one book left in the world, for me it would be The Dumpling Field.
-- Librarian Don Wentworth.
(Read more at the Eleventh Stack Blog.)
Kobayashi, Issa, 1763-1827
The Dumpling Field: Haiku of Issa
Translated by Lucien Stryk
PL797.2.A25 1991b
Kobayashi Issa, one of the four great haiku masters, brought a feeling and depth of emotion to haiku that had previously been removed from the medium to the point of sterility. In Lucien Styrk's stark, concise translations, the poems twinkle as Issa's eyes must have while composing them.
The Dumpling Field: Haiku of Issa
Translated by Lucien Stryk
PL797.2.A25 1991b
Kobayashi Issa, one of the four great haiku masters, brought a feeling and depth of emotion to haiku that had previously been removed from the medium to the point of sterility. In Lucien Styrk's stark, concise translations, the poems twinkle as Issa's eyes must have while composing them.
Wright, James Arlington, 1927-1980
The Branch Will Not Break
PS3545.R58 B7
The Branch Will Not Break is a seminal work in the history of American poetry. It heralded a break with both form and tradition, allowing the fresh spring air of change to breeze in through a newly opened window.
The Branch Will Not Break
PS3545.R58 B7
The Branch Will Not Break is a seminal work in the history of American poetry. It heralded a break with both form and tradition, allowing the fresh spring air of change to breeze in through a newly opened window.
Yosano, Akiko, 1878-1942
River of Stars
PL819.O8 R59 1996
Yosano Akiko did for the Japanese tanka (a five line, lyrical poem) what Issa did for the haiku; she freed it from centuries of vapidity, infusing emotion, sexuality, and a modern woman's sensibility into an art form that is one of Japan's most marvelous contributions to world culture.
River of Stars
PL819.O8 R59 1996
Yosano Akiko did for the Japanese tanka (a five line, lyrical poem) what Issa did for the haiku; she freed it from centuries of vapidity, infusing emotion, sexuality, and a modern woman's sensibility into an art form that is one of Japan's most marvelous contributions to world culture.
Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892
Leaves of Grass
PS3201
When Whitman said he contained multitudes, it was no lie; all flesh is grass and each of us is a single blade in this, the most important book of American poetry ever written.
Leaves of Grass
PS3201
When Whitman said he contained multitudes, it was no lie; all flesh is grass and each of us is a single blade in this, the most important book of American poetry ever written.
Sexton, Anne
Transformations
PS3537.E915 T7
Anne Sexton took myth and fable, injected it with the modern, turned it on its head and, lo, reality was transubstantiated. Sometimes overlooked in an oeuvre that is rich in scintillating work, Transformations should not be missed by Anne Sexton fans and students of modern American poetry.
Transformations
PS3537.E915 T7
Anne Sexton took myth and fable, injected it with the modern, turned it on its head and, lo, reality was transubstantiated. Sometimes overlooked in an oeuvre that is rich in scintillating work, Transformations should not be missed by Anne Sexton fans and students of modern American poetry.
Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962
Complete Poems, 1904-1962
PS3505.U334 A17 1991
E. E. Cummings wrote some of the most spectacular, technically proficient, and philosophically spot-on verse of the 20th century. If there is one volume of modern American poetry to own, the complete Cummings should be given serious consideration.
Complete Poems, 1904-1962
PS3505.U334 A17 1991
E. E. Cummings wrote some of the most spectacular, technically proficient, and philosophically spot-on verse of the 20th century. If there is one volume of modern American poetry to own, the complete Cummings should be given serious consideration.
Blyth, Reginald Horace
Haiku, 4 volumes (Worldcat)
This 4 volume collection of haiku and erudite analysis, by the man almost solely responsible for the introduction of haiku in the West, is both a joy to read and a cornerstone of any serious haiku library. Just as likely to quote Wordsworth, Dickinson, and John Clare as Basho, Issa, and Shiki, R. H. Blyth is a true poetic treasure. Sadly, these volumes are out-of-print.
Haiku, 4 volumes (Worldcat)
This 4 volume collection of haiku and erudite analysis, by the man almost solely responsible for the introduction of haiku in the West, is both a joy to read and a cornerstone of any serious haiku library. Just as likely to quote Wordsworth, Dickinson, and John Clare as Basho, Issa, and Shiki, R. H. Blyth is a true poetic treasure. Sadly, these volumes are out-of-print.
Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997
Collected Poems 1947-1980
PS3513.I74 A17 1988x
Allen Ginsberg was to the counterculture what Walt Whitman was to American expansionism. He took the message of "Father" Walt and William Blake and spray painted it on the walls of the Establishment. "Kaddish" and "Howl" can break your heart; this volume will heal it.
Collected Poems 1947-1980
PS3513.I74 A17 1988x
Allen Ginsberg was to the counterculture what Walt Whitman was to American expansionism. He took the message of "Father" Walt and William Blake and spray painted it on the walls of the Establishment. "Kaddish" and "Howl" can break your heart; this volume will heal it.
Olds, Sharon
The Dead and the Living
PS3565.L34 D4 1984
Sharon Olds is one of many modern poets who have taken over the vanguard of modern American poetry and, collectively, their name is women. Olds digs deep in the psychological, emotional, and sexual lives of contemporary American culture and what she finds is at once shocking, funny, beautiful and sad. Not to be missed.
The Dead and the Living
PS3565.L34 D4 1984
Sharon Olds is one of many modern poets who have taken over the vanguard of modern American poetry and, collectively, their name is women. Olds digs deep in the psychological, emotional, and sexual lives of contemporary American culture and what she finds is at once shocking, funny, beautiful and sad. Not to be missed.
Wordsworth, William, 1770-1850
The Prelude
PR5864.A2 W6 1979
You can keep "Tintern Abbey" and "Daffodils" and "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge;" give the gift of "The Prelude" and you give all of nature itself, whole. How a poem can read like a novel reading like a poem isn't worth questioning: just go with it.
The Prelude
PR5864.A2 W6 1979
You can keep "Tintern Abbey" and "Daffodils" and "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge;" give the gift of "The Prelude" and you give all of nature itself, whole. How a poem can read like a novel reading like a poem isn't worth questioning: just go with it.
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
PS1541.A1 1997b
Taciturn, sly, and resonating like a tuning fork, this volume could be read over and over until the twilight of eternity and still it would keep on giving. When Dickinson said the definition of poetry is to feel "physically as if the top of my head were taken off," she knew what of she spake.
PS1541.A1 1997b
Taciturn, sly, and resonating like a tuning fork, this volume could be read over and over until the twilight of eternity and still it would keep on giving. When Dickinson said the definition of poetry is to feel "physically as if the top of my head were taken off," she knew what of she spake.
The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa
Edited and translated by Robert Hass
PL759.535 .E88 1994
These laconic, precise translations of the haiku masters are second to none in tone, clarity, and readability. If you like haiku or want to know what it's all about, start here.
Edited and translated by Robert Hass
PL759.535 .E88 1994
These laconic, precise translations of the haiku masters are second to none in tone, clarity, and readability. If you like haiku or want to know what it's all about, start here.
Baudelaire, Charles, 1821-1867
Flowers of Evil and Other Works
Translated by W. Fowlie
PQ2191 .A2244 1992
Baudelaire probed the human psyche like a lyrical Edgar Allan Poe; he never flinched or looked away, but you might. Once you've wandered the alley, brothels, and gutters with Baudelaire, try though you may, you'll never forget it. France's greatest gift to the world.
Flowers of Evil and Other Works
Translated by W. Fowlie
PQ2191 .A2244 1992
Baudelaire probed the human psyche like a lyrical Edgar Allan Poe; he never flinched or looked away, but you might. Once you've wandered the alley, brothels, and gutters with Baudelaire, try though you may, you'll never forget it. France's greatest gift to the world.
Hanshan, fl. 627-649
The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain
Translated by Red Pine
PL2677.H3 A26 2000
This is one of many translations of the reclusive Chinese poet known as "Cold Mountain" and it is a fine one. There is a Zen-like quality to these short, insightful verses that made many a Beat poet long for Desolation Peak and beyond.
The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain
Translated by Red Pine
PL2677.H3 A26 2000
This is one of many translations of the reclusive Chinese poet known as "Cold Mountain" and it is a fine one. There is a Zen-like quality to these short, insightful verses that made many a Beat poet long for Desolation Peak and beyond.
Lorde, Audre
Chosen Poems, Old and New
PS3562.O75 C4 1982
Audre Lorde was one of the premier African-American poets of the later part of the 20th century. She championed the rights of women and blacks in both poetry and essays and her combination of lyricism and incendiary rhetoric serves as a model for revolutionary artists to come.
Chosen Poems, Old and New
PS3562.O75 C4 1982
Audre Lorde was one of the premier African-American poets of the later part of the 20th century. She championed the rights of women and blacks in both poetry and essays and her combination of lyricism and incendiary rhetoric serves as a model for revolutionary artists to come.
Yeats, W. B. (William Butler), 1865-1939
The Collected Poems of William Butler Yeats
PR5900.A3 1996
Some would say the Irish have poetry in their souls and W.B. Yeats is widely acknowledged as the best of the best. From Crazy Jane to Ben Bulba, Babylon to the apocalypse and back, it's a wild ride with some of the most moving, beautiful verse ever conjured.
The Collected Poems of William Butler Yeats
PR5900.A3 1996
Some would say the Irish have poetry in their souls and W.B. Yeats is widely acknowledged as the best of the best. From Crazy Jane to Ben Bulba, Babylon to the apocalypse and back, it's a wild ride with some of the most moving, beautiful verse ever conjured.
Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert), 1885-1930
Complete Poems by D. H. Lawrence
PR6023.A93 A17 1977
From his imagistic beginnings to the last voyage on his "Ship of Death," D. H. Lawrence's skills as a master poet were only surpassed by his short story ability. His volume "Pansies" alone is worth the price of admission.
Complete Poems by D. H. Lawrence
PR6023.A93 A17 1977
From his imagistic beginnings to the last voyage on his "Ship of Death," D. H. Lawrence's skills as a master poet were only surpassed by his short story ability. His volume "Pansies" alone is worth the price of admission.
Rich, Adrienne
The Dream of a Common Language
PS3535.I233 D7 1978
Adrienne Rich's "Dream of a Common Language" is a one of a kind volume that grabs both the head and the heart and never lets go. A benchmark of American feminist poetry.
The Dream of a Common Language
PS3535.I233 D7 1978
Adrienne Rich's "Dream of a Common Language" is a one of a kind volume that grabs both the head and the heart and never lets go. A benchmark of American feminist poetry.
Stevens, Wallace
The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens
PS3537.T4753 A17 1954x
The careful, sonorous attention to detail and an ear for just the precise word belies the fact that Wallace Stevens was an insurance salesman from Hartford, Connecticut. His holds a mirror up to the world and what we see is that mirror.
The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens
PS3537.T4753 A17 1954x
The careful, sonorous attention to detail and an ear for just the precise word belies the fact that Wallace Stevens was an insurance salesman from Hartford, Connecticut. His holds a mirror up to the world and what we see is that mirror.
Wakoski, Diane
Dancing on the Grave of a Son of a Bitch (Worldcat)
When first published back in the early 70's, the title of this book literally sang out to readers that this was a poetry that hadn't been read before. In terms of the war between the sexes, not much has change in the intervening years. In her larger body of work, Diane Wakoski has created a mythology of Diane Wakoski and, as a result, a mythology of us, too.
Dancing on the Grave of a Son of a Bitch (Worldcat)
When first published back in the early 70's, the title of this book literally sang out to readers that this was a poetry that hadn't been read before. In terms of the war between the sexes, not much has change in the intervening years. In her larger body of work, Diane Wakoski has created a mythology of Diane Wakoski and, as a result, a mythology of us, too.
Imagist Poetry: An Anthology
Edited by Bob Blaisdell
PS613.I43 1999
The Imagist movement in poetry at once reached back to the beauty of Eastern poetics and forward to the modernism it heralded. D. H. Lawrence, Amy Lowell, H. D. and Ezra Pound are just a few examples of one of the finest poetry schools of the 20th century.
Edited by Bob Blaisdell
PS613.I43 1999
The Imagist movement in poetry at once reached back to the beauty of Eastern poetics and forward to the modernism it heralded. D. H. Lawrence, Amy Lowell, H. D. and Ezra Pound are just a few examples of one of the finest poetry schools of the 20th century.
Ferlinghetti, Lawrence
A Coney Island of the Mind
PS3511.E557 C6 2008
If you were born early in the latter half of the 20th century and read only one book of poems, chances are it would have been Coney Island of the Mind. And the chances are also very good that you have passed it on to someone born in the latter part of the latter half of said century. Still, it is another century: pass it on.
A Coney Island of the Mind
PS3511.E557 C6 2008
If you were born early in the latter half of the 20th century and read only one book of poems, chances are it would have been Coney Island of the Mind. And the chances are also very good that you have passed it on to someone born in the latter part of the latter half of said century. Still, it is another century: pass it on.
One Hundred Poems from the Japanese
Translated by Kenneth Rexroth
PL884 .R4 1964
As important to the introduction of Japanese poetry to an English speaking audience as was Commodore Perry's visit to opening up of Japan in general, Rexroth's translations strongly hint at the breadth, depth, beauty, and power of the Japanese lyric. Begin here with Japanese poetry and chances are you won't stop.
Translated by Kenneth Rexroth
PL884 .R4 1964
As important to the introduction of Japanese poetry to an English speaking audience as was Commodore Perry's visit to opening up of Japan in general, Rexroth's translations strongly hint at the breadth, depth, beauty, and power of the Japanese lyric. Begin here with Japanese poetry and chances are you won't stop.
Glück, Louise
The First Four Books of Poems
PS3557.L8 A65 1995
Arguably the finest and most important American poet writing today, this volume collects in one place Louise Glück's first 4 books and is a perfect place to start.
The First Four Books of Poems
PS3557.L8 A65 1995
Arguably the finest and most important American poet writing today, this volume collects in one place Louise Glück's first 4 books and is a perfect place to start.
Stern, Gerald
This Time: New and Selected Poems
PS3569.T3888 T47 1998
If you read poetry and don't have a soft spot for Gerald Stern, perhaps you'll want to get that checked out. If you are from Pittsburgh, Gerald Stern has something special to say to you. And if you are from anywhere else, throw out all the high school textbooks; this is the only required reading anyone will ever need.
This Time: New and Selected Poems
PS3569.T3888 T47 1998
If you read poetry and don't have a soft spot for Gerald Stern, perhaps you'll want to get that checked out. If you are from Pittsburgh, Gerald Stern has something special to say to you. And if you are from anywhere else, throw out all the high school textbooks; this is the only required reading anyone will ever need.
