100 Poems to Lift Your Spirits

by Leslie Pockell (Editor), Celia Johnson (With)

No matter what the occasion, this collection of poems is the perfect gift to cheer up a friend or family member. Here, in this compact volume, are 100 poems written by the world's greatest poets, some inspiring, some hilarious, and all memorable. Each delightful poem is preceded by an illuminating headnote. Among the poems included are classics, such as Schiller's "Ode to Joy," Wordsworth's "My Heart Leaps Up," Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life," and Dickinson's "'Hope is the Thing with Feathers." This collection includes many more captivating works that take as their exhilarating theme the limitless possibilities of human existence. Whether it's through inspired nonsense or insightful commentary, these poems will leave readers feeling happier and enriched for having read them.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

"Some may ask where I get the authority to compile such a work, and attach such lofty claims to it. I have no advanced business degrees myself, but I have labored in an assortment of metaphorical vineyards over the course of the past four decades, from entry level to senior management positions, in government and in the private sector, and I have paid attention to the commonalities and repetitive patterns around me.

In an era when hit television programs like The Office and award-winning novels like And Then We Came To The End are documenting the futility and anomie that is so often a part of our shared work experience, and the economic chaos all around us demonstrates the inadequacy of so-called professional expertise, the universal verities of business presented in MBA IN A BOOK are more relevant than ever."

“I’ve been in publishing for more than three decades, but I try to keep current.”

So wrote Les Pockell about himself for an in-house publication. Les didn’t just “keep current” – he had an encyclopedic knowledge of everything past, present and future in every field imaginable. He had an insatiable appetite for learning, and for passing along all the wisdom he’d accumulated to the editors he worked with and mentored over his many years in publishing.

His vitality was contagious; his opinions were strong; his brilliance was dazzling. He was well-loved by so many, and will be deeply missed.

Reviews

[Kaylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm relatively new to the genre of poetry. This book introduced me to many classics and well-renowned poets I'd never heard of before or had forgotten about, which is a plus.

The editor's notes were helpful and interesting although a bit odd or unnecessary at times. They felt a bit like ads in the middle of a YouTube video, except I felt compelled to read each and every one due to being a chronic perfectionist.

Anyway, I enjoyed most of the poems, but some were just bizarre choices or even had the opposite effect than intended (i.e., they lowered my spirits more than lifting them up).

I've been struggling with inner demons for a long time now and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to just anybody who is struggling as well, I am glad I got to further my journey into this genre a bit more.

[Judine Brey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun light read, especially since the poems are broken up into categories like nature, religion, and humor. I now want to read more from Child's Garden of Verse.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure why some poems (The Bells???) were included. Editor needs to revisit tone and revise accordingly.

[Lena Tumasyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book as a gift when I was going through a tough time. I've always been a fan of poetry, so I was happy to receive it.

It was a nice read. I think it was age appropriate for anyone from middle school to college. I liked that they have a variety of themes such as nature, love, even funny ones. I definitely have some favorites, ok, maybe 20 favorites. Out of the funny ones my favorite is "one hose shay" about a wagon that survives for 100 years and then magically falls apart with a snap of the finger lol. There were other ones I liked too, about how to live your life, lessons from father to son, about the seasons chaining, about being a good person, silliness and just many different subjects.

Most of the poems were from authors within the last 150 years and were fairly short to read. One page or less. Actually, I reread the whole book once or twice just to get a little deeper into the poems. Saved some of them for my personal future reference, and shared some of them with people who I thought may benefit.

If you ask me about why I gave it only 3 starts and not 5, I can't really point out the reason to you. Maybe because I thought some of the poems were just so-so? Or they didn't quite have the emotional or intellectual impact I wanted? Although someone else reading this book might enjoy it a whole lot more, so hard to say. I think it's just personal preference.

Did I LOVE this book? NO. Did I LIKE this book? YES. Would I recommend it? YES.

[Judine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this book was a light fun read, which made it great for bedtime. Since the poems are broken up into different categories (nature, religion, humor), it would also be good for picking the right poem at the right time. Personal favorites include "I Shall Paint My Nails Red" (which found its way into a group interpretation piece this year), and the various selections from Robert Louis Stevenson's Child's Garden of Verse (which I really feel I should read straight through now).

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The edition’s merit lies in its attempt to raise a person’s spirit with poetry touching you with nature, nonsense poems, insights on spirituality and with poets who talked about meeting down-hearted people and needing to cheer them up. I found myself laughing many times, read more :
http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/...

[Shannon Reed]

I found some of the poems to be the antithesis of the title (Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy"??? Not a poem! And won't lift my spirits!) but several more were new and wonderful to me. Loving Rita Dove.

[Laura Gilfillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of poetry. There were quite a few old favorites, and several new finds. It's the sort of collection I would like to read again to find the kind of poetry I most enjoy.

[Mr. V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way this book is organized! A fun and varied collection that will make you smile, as it promises.

[Patty Mapes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Misleading title and an unremarkable collection of poems.