The Oxford Book of Short Poems

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192804103 ISBN 13: 9780192804105

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2003

Memorable, witty, bawdy, profound--the short poem observes no limits except those of length. They can range from subjects as diverse as a child's first words, a woman's feet, or human destiny. The verses within this collection vary greatly in theme, style, and tone, but in each case, brevity reveals the poets at their best, both as individual artists and as exemplars of their times. The short poem is often overlooked in verse collections, where poets tend to be represented by their longer, more sustained work. Defining "short" as any poem of under fourteen lines, P. J. Kavanagh and James Michie have chosen those poems, which they consider to be the best in the English language, from medieval times to the present day. Their selection extends from Chaucer to Philip Larkin, from Shakespeare to Emily Bronte, from Blake to Edith Sitwell, and from Yeats to Emily Dickinson, demonstrating the gradual changes in style, subject-matter, and tone from one generation of poets to the next.

Review:

Review from previous edition One of the best of Oxford anthologies and a wonderful literal demonstration of Pound's remardk about poetry being a matter of gists and piths. (Guardian)

Synopsis:

Short poems can have marvellous clarity, humour, and depth. They can range from subjects as diverse as a child's first wods, a woman's feet, or the destiny of man. P. J. Kavanagh and James Michie have chosen those short poems (of less than fourteen lines) which they consider to be the best in the English language, from medieval times to the present day. Their selection extends from Chaucer to Philip Larkin, from Shakespeare to Emily Bronte, from Blake to Edith Sitwell, and from Yeats to Emily Dickinson, demonstrating the gradual changes in style, subject-matter, and tone from one generation of poets to the next.