How do I find the right poetry for me?

Want to get into reading poetry, but don’t know where to start? Anthologies are great for discovering which type of poetry speaks to you most. It can be daunting when faced with shelf upon shelf of poetry books, not knowing which to pick! With collected works featuring a variety of poets, you can find poems for pretty much any occasion or preference.

Over time, you’ll discover who your favourites are and you can then surround yourself with their own poetry collections. Having these in your bookcase will ensure you’ll always have friends to turn to when you need them most.

I’ve selected three poems to share today, that cover family and intimations of mortality (my choices are definitely influenced by these strange times we are living in). I hope you enjoy!

Safe Sounds by Carol Ann Duffy

You like safe sounds;
the dogs lapping at their bowls;
the pop of a cork on a bottle of plonk
as your mother cooks;
the Match of the Day theme tune
and Doctor Who-oo-oo.

                          Safe sounds:
your name called, two happy syllables
from the bottom to the top of the house;
your daft ring tone; the low gargle
of hot water in bubbles. Half asleep
in the drifting boat of your bed,
you like to hear the big trees
sound like the sea instead.

(Featured in Poems To Live Your Life By)

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Remember by Christina G. Rossetti

Remember me when I am gone away,
       Gone far away into the silent land;
       When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
        You tell me of our future that you planned;
        Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
        And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
        For if the darkness and corruption leave
        A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
        Than that you should remember and be sad.

(Featured in Poems for Life)

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Late Fragment by Raymond Carver

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.

(Featured in Poems for Life)