The Poetry of Birds

by Samuel Carr (Editor), John James Audubon (Illustrator)

A sublime collection of beautiful poems written about birds to read again and again as a source of comfort and joy.

Poets and artists have always looked to birds for inspiration. In this collection Audubon’s iconic birds illuminate, as well as illustrate, the poems. Since the poets and the painters represented are among the greatest who have ever lived, their joint celebration of a common theme has resulted in an enchanting book to cherish for years to come.

Amongst the poets whose work is included are Rossetti, Chaucer, Blake, Shakespeare, and Milton; Cowper, Wordsworth, Baudelaire, Tennyson, Keats, and Shelley; twentieth-century writers, among them Hardy, Yeats, de la Mare, Laurie Lee, and Ted Hughes; and such American poets as Thoreau, Whitman, William Cullen Bryant, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Theodore Roethke.

Genres: Poetry, Nature, Birds, Animals, Art, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated book with poems about birds. Many of the poems focus on specific birds, others just a celebration of birds and their habits.

I liked many of the poets represented, but most of them are pre-date the twentieth century. I would have liked to see more contemporary poets incorporated in as well.

I think what I liked best is looking at Audobon's illustrations.

[Alex Boon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t fault the poems, though I wonder why Mary Oliver’s incredible ‘Wild Geese’ would be omitted from a book of the best bird poetry. Also, perplexed as to why I can’t find a mention anywhere in the book itself that the illustrations are Audubon. Seems a bit disrespectful not to mention that at all when the illustrations are so critical to the quality of this beautiful collection 🧐

[SANDRA GARNER · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book to keep by the bed or "coffee table book". I've read it all and several poems lots of times. I like to just pick it up, flick the pages and read whatever I turn to.

[Marylou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, both for its illustrations and for its selection of poems.

[Katharine Sucher · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. Just because a poem is from before the twentieth century doesn't mean it is good (looking at you, Tennyson's "The Eagle"). I would have liked to see better diversity of poets and more contemporary poems throughout. (Not a single Mary Oliver??) Beautifully designed though.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book!

[Lizzytish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and sweet poems about marvelous birds

[Lisa Griffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations and enjoyable poetry.
It's a book that I'll continue to keep on the side table to pick up and just take a moment.

[Kilarev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up because I am a fan of all things birds and heavily interested in anything 19th century and before. This has lots of old poems and lovely illustrations, so it's perfect.