Poetry

I just noticed this, but another thing you might enjoy is the recording "By Heart: 101 Poems", read by Ted Hughes. I love to listen to it while I'm cooking or ironing (on those rare occasions). There's a companion book so you can follow along if you like. It's a beautiful collection, beautifully read. Bloodaxe Press has some good compliations, like "Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times." That one is divided into themes, so you can drift along through various sections, depending on your mood. A compilation is not a bad way to start. You can get a feel for who you like.

'The Rattle Bag': 
is a good anthology, also 'Other Men's Flowers' . I first found this on my parent's bookshelf in the 1960s, and it led me on to all kinds of other poetry. There's a very good CD called 'Edge of Day' featuring the poet Laurie Lee reading his poetry with accompaniment by the folk singer and composer Johnny Coppin (Caroline - I've got this if you want to borrow it!).

...the recording "By Heart: 101 Poems", read by Ted Hughes. I love to listen to it while I'm cooking or ironing (on those rare occasions)...

Cheers for that.

There's a very good CD called 'Edge of Day' featuring the poet Laurie Lee reading his poetry with accompaniment by the folk singer and composer Johnny Coppin (Caroline - I've got this if you want to borrow it!).

Oh that Rattle Bag looks good!  And yes, I would like to borrow it (the CD).

Oooh I'm glad I found this thread.  I am an English major with an emphasis in Creative Writing/Poetry... hoping to go on to grad school for poetry.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Maya Angelou is a good starting point, I agree with everyone else.

Sherman Alexie:
http://www.slipstreampress.org/horses.html [nofollow]

Peter Riley; I've heard him read and he's awesome.  A very nice, funny guy, too.  He even autographed my book for me and we talked about poetry for a few minutes after the reading:
http://www.aprileye.co.uk/ [nofollow]
http://jacketmagazine.com/02/riley02.html [nofollow]

Charles Bukowski is one of my all-time favorites:
http://bukowski.net/ [nofollow]

Martin Corless-Smith... he teaches at my university, and is just amazing.  He's a British poet, too   Here's a sample of what he writes:
http://www.epoetry.org/issues/issue6/text/poems/mc2.htm [nofollow]

Sherman Alexie:
http://www.slipstreampress.org/horses.html

I never knew Sherman Alexie wrote poetry! I've loved his novels, though.

I didn't really know much about Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes until I saw Gwenyth Paltrow portray her in the movie Sylvia.  After knowing more about her, her background and her relationship with Ted, her poetry made more sense.  Although I kind of like her sometimes wretched and manic style, I prefer Ted Hughes' poetry more. 

I never knew Sherman Alexie wrote poetry! I've loved his novels, though.

Yep!  He is a fantastic poet.  One of the coolest things I've seen is Maya Angelou and Sherman Alexie doing a live slam/improv/prompt poetry reading.... so amazing.

If you can manage to get your hands on some old Dylan Thomas recordings - do it!  There is nothing better than hearing him reading his own poetry out loud!  That booming, inimitable voice of his.

Funny, I don't remember reading this thread, but I just got all Dylan Thomas' recordings for a (heavily hinted) Christmas present.  They're fantastic!   

I like Ted Hughes and Laurie Lee very much.  I don't like Sylvia Plath poetry, but the Bell Jar was interesting for its insight into depression.  Maybe I would like the movie?  I didn't realize there was one.

Haven't seen the film, but I've always been a Plath fan.  Her poetry was exceptional.  Never cared for Hughes (well actually I've always thought he was a poor excuse for a man). 

Haven't seen the film, but I've always been a Plath fan.  Her poetry was exceptionalr.  Never cared for Hughes (well actually I've always thought he was a poor excuse for a man). 

I'm not keen on Hughes the man either.  But I like his poems.

I like Ted Hughes and Laurie Lee very much.  I don't like Sylvia Plath poetry, but the Bell Jar was interesting for its insight into depression.  Maybe I would like the movie?  I didn't realize there was one.

You should check out the movie, I guess there were a few made but I saw the one with Gwenyth Paltrow and Daniel Craig played Hughes.  I thought it was a really good film. 

I must confess that I've never been immensely fond of poetry.. but I really love T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets" (all except The Dry Salvages).

Also Wordsworth's Lucy fragments are beautiful... I only came to them through The Divine Comedy song "Lucy," which is absolutely gorgeous. Music makes the words come alive.

I've never been much into poetry but if you like please check out Tony Harrison, a contemporary English poet. I studied a few of his works a few years ago and enjoyed it enough to buy a few of his poetry books.

I also like Wordsworth.  Someone I knew lives right down the street from the old Wordsworth House.  It would have been nice to see. 

Funny, I don't remember reading this thread, but I just got all Dylan Thomas' recordings for a (heavily hinted) Christmas present.  They're fantastic!   

Lucky you!

HME gave me a copy of the 'Edge of Day' Laurie Lee/Johnny Coppin CD just before Christmas -- with running around like crazy before Xmas I've not had time to listen, but I hope that I will today.   Not poetry, but I bought Steve four Laurie Lee books for Xmas -- the 'trilogy' with Cider with Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, and A Moment of War - plus A Rose For Winter.