I’ve been realising lately, as you might have noticed, that I do have a bit of a problem with unread books… And digging about has made me realize just how many of them are poetry books. I have a problem with reading this too, in that I find that I set out to read a whole volume in one go and that just isn’t working for me. It may be because the self-imposed discipline of writing about everything I read here means that I think I have to read a book, write about it and then move onto the next one. But that isn’t conducive to reading poetry I’m finding and so I may have to take a more dipping-in kind of approach.
And this is just a few of the titles I have on my shelves which are tempting me at the moment… It’s far from all of the poetry books I own – in fact, if I hauled all of them out of their other categories (Russians, Plath, Hughes, women etc etc) I reckon they’d take up a decent sized bookcase. *Sigh*.
As it’s my books we’re talking about there are of course going to be Russians. This is just a few of them: my lovely huge Mayakovsky book; Akhmatova; an Everyman collection Youngest Child gave me; a fragile early collection OH gave me; a Penguin post-war Russian poetry collection I’ve had since my teens; and the rather splendid Penguin Book of Russian. And yes – all very dippable.
There are Americans too… All the classic names I should be reading – or at least dipping into. I picked up the Frost and Lowell myself, but oddly had never owned Whitman until OH cleverly gifted me a copy.
Some 20th century greats: my beloved Philip Larkin (and actually I could probably happily sit down and read that one cover to cover); an old fragile Eliot I’ve had since the 1980s; and two Ezra Pounds. I know Pound turned into a reprehensible fascist, but some of his early stuff is amazing.
Some bits and bobs, now. Trakl comes highly recommended; Anne Sexton is essential; and Adrian Mitchell is a favourite British poet. If you’ve never seen the footage of him reading “To Whom it May Concern” aka “Tell Me Lies About Vietnam” at the Royal Albert Hall in 1965, go and search it out – it’s stunning, powerful stuff.
And finally, Daniil Kharms. Is this poetry? I don’t know, but what I’ve read of it is fragmentary and beautiful and intriguing, so I’ll count it in.
So I’ll be reading poetry, and I might share the odd thought or poem, but I can’t see myself doing regular reviews of fully read poetry collections or anthologies. I think by taking away any restrictions on myself and allowing myself this freedom, I’ll actually get a lot more poetry read and enjoyed. Off to do some dipping! 🙂
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Feb 23, 2018 @ 08:03:06
I agree that reading a poetry Collection cover to cover like a novel isn’t always a good approach. Why not post about individual poems that have moved you, or small groups? I’ve never got on with Whitman; Eliot had reservations, so I’m in eminent company!
Feb 23, 2018 @ 19:54:36
I think I might well adopt the tactic of individual or small amounts of poems. Certainly, not every poem in a collection is going to appeal so picking the standout ones is a good plan – thank you! As for Whitman, he looks a bit daunting but some of the quotes and extracts I’ve read are very appealing – so we shall see! 🙂
Feb 23, 2018 @ 09:12:03
Remember in olden times when LPs tended to have one composition on each side? Then CDs came along and ran everything together, so care had to be taken not to confuse the first movement of the new piece as the fifth movement of the last. I wouldn’t dream of listening to the multi CD sets now issued over so many days, too much and too rich. I prefer the discreet unit of the originally published volume or composition (less is more) surely the reading / listening experience intended by the writer/composer – it certainly makes the 1186 page collected Lowell more manageable.
I find most anthologies impossibly rich, though invaluable as reference.
Your Trakl volume combines a stunning title and photo – an immediate buy, thank you.
Feb 23, 2018 @ 19:53:12
I do indeed! And I think that definitely a shorter work of art, whether musical or written, can often give you more of a chance to properly absorb and appreciate. As for the anthologies – I think that sensibly deployed bookmarks indicating the start and end of individual volumes they contain might be a useful strategy. And I do hope you enjoy the Trakl – as I’ve often said, I’m happy to be a bad bookish influence… 🙂
Feb 23, 2018 @ 11:12:29
Poetry is best read in short bursts I think, rather than through the entire book in one go. I was going to read more poetry a couple of years ago but it didn’t last long. I do like Plath as I have said before, and Robert Frost is another favourite. I look forward to your thoughts on the poetry you read.
Feb 23, 2018 @ 19:51:10
Yes, definitely short bursts – it’s not as if I’m going to forget the plot of a novel if I don’t read a whole book of poetry at once! 🙂
Feb 23, 2018 @ 15:05:13
I usually run in the opposite direction of poetry but lately have been reading a little more (dipping in and out) and really enjoying it. You’ve inspired me to borrow some Russian poetry from the library (the Everyman collection Russian Poets) so there will be even more poetry in my future!
Feb 23, 2018 @ 19:50:30
The dipping is the thing, I’m sure – then it’s a pleasure rather than the duty. I hope you enjoy the Russians! 🙂
Feb 23, 2018 @ 17:17:48
I cant imagine reading more than one poem at any one sitting – they need time to permeate and percolate for me. Not that I read very much of it anyway despite some good intentions at the start of the year. As for reviewing – who says you have to do that? sometimes we set ourselves these ‘rules’ but they end up spoiling the experience
Feb 23, 2018 @ 19:49:57
No, you’re probably right – a poem a day might be a better goal! The reviewing is perhaps a rule I set myself, but one of the reasons for starting the blog was a kind of reading record – as my memory is so shocking and I’m sometimes not even sure whether I’ve read a book let alone what it was about. So I will no doubt try to stick to that pretty much, but be a bit more laid back with poetry! 🙂
Feb 23, 2018 @ 20:29:21
I’m not up for long bouts of reading poetry, though I’m currently reading/listening to Eugene Onegin, in the james Falen translation, and enjoying it. But I can only do 15-30 minutes at a time!
Feb 23, 2018 @ 20:41:39
I think that’s probably a good length of time! I’ve heard good things about the Falen translation – I should really track it down! 🙂
Feb 23, 2018 @ 21:44:39
I cannot judge its connection to the original, but I find it quite marvelous purely as English poetry; it doesn’t strike me as “awkward” in the way some translations do. Stephen Fry is the perfect reader too.
Feb 24, 2018 @ 14:55:30
I’ll definitely look out for that version, then! 🙂
Feb 23, 2018 @ 20:51:30
Sounds familiar, I too have plenty of poetry books that deserve more attention. I just need to find more time… 😄 Currently reading Ruslan and Lyudmila by Pushkin, a narrative poem, and loving it! Your Daniil Kharms looks very intriguing!
Feb 23, 2018 @ 21:02:16
Ah, time…. The enemy of any reader. Kharms is a one-off, fragmentary and rather wonderful. I’ve read another collection, and dipped into this one a bit too. In fact, it’s calling to me now….
Feb 24, 2018 @ 03:30:14
Haha, enjoy! I read him at university a long time ago 😉
Feb 24, 2018 @ 14:51:51
I’m sure I shall! 🙂
Feb 24, 2018 @ 13:35:02
I am with you. I am also reading much more poetry lately, but not sure I want to review it, I will see. The books you show are beautiful.
Feb 24, 2018 @ 14:51:10
Reviewing poetry is definitely harder than reviewing fiction or non-fiction, that’s for sure. I will see how it goes. And yes – they do look so lovely, don’t they? (But then I’m a Bookaholic and I cannot lie…)
Feb 25, 2018 @ 02:28:12
Lol, I know that feeling too well.
Feb 24, 2018 @ 15:38:56
I agree a dipping approach is the way to go. I don’t think poetry really suits a cover to cover approach. I adore Pound’s writing – I wish he hadn’t held such horrible views 😦 Happy dipping!
Feb 24, 2018 @ 17:02:48
Yes, definitely dipping. As for Pound, it’s so difficult – particularly as he was so instrumental in getting The Waste Land to print. I guess we can read at least his early works and try to ignore his terrible views in later life. :s
Feb 24, 2018 @ 16:29:31
Coincidentally I heard Elaine Feinstein read this week – I’m sure she will have translated some of your Russian poetry, but is also a very fine poet in her own right.
For a long time I have thought reading a poem a day the ideal way to absorb poetry yet have never been able to manage this small commitment!
Feb 24, 2018 @ 17:01:28
She did indeed – particularly Tsvetaeva, and very strikingly! I think the same – how difficult can it be to just read one poem every day? But I always fail….. ((((
Feb 25, 2018 @ 21:02:45
I may have mentioned this before and, even if I haven’t it may sound familiar as a version of the habit that changed my relationship with short stories, but I started making room for poetry by linking it with a morning routine, about ten pages in a collection early on, with tea and quiet, before things got going. I lost the habit for about three years but, then, having realised how much I missed it, I picked up the habit again, and it came back very quickly. If you wanted to have a mix, you could put together a stack of 3 or 4 volumes and rotate through them each sitting, especially if some were more demanding than others, to allow for a variety of moods/themes. Also, a variety would create the illusion that you were working through more of your collection, which is a terrific excuse to gather more poetry volumes, in case you run out. 🙂
Feb 26, 2018 @ 15:54:20
That’s a really good plan and I shall definitely try to put it into practice (particularly as OH has just worked out a nice reading space for me) and that also kind of justifies the fact I’ve just sent for another poetry book…..😱😱
Feb 28, 2018 @ 08:04:08
Feb 28, 2018 @ 17:11:58
I liked Peter Brown’s comment. Anthologies just crush me under the weight of words. I prefer slim individual poetry volumes even if ultimately it costs me more (which admittedly is a kind of luxury).
The dipping in is something I increasingly try to do myself. Reading a poetry collection like a novel just doesn’t work as you say. The Cavafy I recently reviewed I think I spread over around two years. I also have my own not too small poetry pile…
Feb 28, 2018 @ 20:35:13
Yes, definitely – for example, I always tend to pick up the individual volumes of Plath if I want to read her and not the mammoth collected volume. Unfortunately it isn’t always to find those for every author, and I get seduced by the words “Complete” or “Collected” which appeal to the obsessive in me… But dipping is the way to go, or the bookmark method – and spreading the books out. I’m also dipping so much at the moment into non-poetry books that I’m getting dangerously close to reading several books at once. But it isn’t helping the poetry pile which has another volume on the way to make it even bigger!
Mar 04, 2018 @ 09:29:16
😍😍😍all the poetry
Mar 04, 2018 @ 12:11:17
:))) They all look so appealing, don’t they??