March 21, 2015

10 Poetry Books to Celebrate the World Poetry Day

It's World Poetry Day today! That being a great opportunity to honour all those poets, who through their work taught us how to feel. A poem can be very powerful whether it's a few lines long, a haiku or pages long. Dreamlike or realistic, symbolic or satiric, a poem can take all these forms and even more. 

So, in this list you can find some amazing poetry to read today, in order to celebrate this genre.

Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare

shakespeare's sonnets cover

This is a collection of the 154 sonnets by William Shakespeare. They had a great influence to the future generations of poets all over the world and are considered as some of the finest examples of love poetry.


Paradise Lost by John Milton



Poetry Paradise Lost cover

Paradise Lost in an epic poem concerning the Biblical story of the Fall of Man. It was first published in 1667 and it's considered the greatest work of John Milton.

Ariel by Sylvia Plath

Poetry Ariel cover

Ariel was published in 1965, just two years after the suicide of Sylvia Plath. The poems in Ariel are more personal to the poet and are considered as some of the best poems on the freedom of expression of the artist.

Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda

Poetry Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair cover

The second book by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda was published in 1924. It is a collection of romantic poetry and the eroticism of the Twenty Love Poems caused controversy at the time.

Battered Guitars: Poems and Prose by Kostas Karyotakis

Poetry Battered Guitars cover

Kostas Karyotakis is a greek poet of the 1920s. His poems embrace expressionism and sometimes surrealism. 

100 Selected Poems by E. E. Cummings

Poetry 100 Selected poems by E.E. Cummings cover

Most of E. E. Cummings work is traditional, bringing modernity to the classic sonnet. They deal mostly with nature and love and are often satirical.

Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie by Maya Angelou

Poetry Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie cover

This is the first collection of poems of Maya Angelou, it was published in 1971 and was also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. 

Book of Longing by Leonard Cohen

Poetry The Book of Longing cover

The Book of Longing was first published in 2006 and is a collection of poems and drawings of songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen. It was mostly written at a Zen Monastery on Mount Baldy in California and many of the poems deal with love as a spiritual process.  

The Complete Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe

The Complete Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe cover

What can I say about Edgar Allan Poe that you don't already know? He is considered part of the American Romantic Movement and his works contain mystery and science fiction elements. The Raven is one of the most celebrated poems in history.

The Crescent Moon by Rabindranath Tagore

Poetry The crescent moon cover

Tagore was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize of Literature in 1913. He is one of those that introduced the Indian culture to the west and his poetry is considered highly spiritual.
     

3 comments:

  1. I absolutely adore e.e. cummings. Some of his poetry is so unusual and beautiful!

    Happy World Poetry Day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I absolutely adore e.e. cummings. Some of his poetry is so unusual and beautiful!

    Happy World Poetry Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, his poems are wonderful! They always move me.

      Happy World Poetry Day, too! :)

      Delete

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