Selected Poetry

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Richard Holmes (Editor)

With this collection, renowned Colridge biographer Richard Holmes casts new light on the poets sensibilities and accomplishments. Holmes divides the poems into eight categories of theme and genre, dispelling the myth of Coleridge as "the metaphysical dreamer" and rediscovering him as a Romantic autobiographer of tremendous power and range. At the heart of Selected Poetry  are the Conversation Poems, a unified and beautifully crafted autobiographical sequence written over a period of twelve years. A series of little-known love poems to Asra, which combine understated passion and desperate directness, reflect the depths of Coleridge's feelings for Sara Hutchinson, his unattainable lifelong love.

The volume also includes the robust Hill Walking Poems, and the secret agony of the Confessional Poems, as well as previously undervalued later poetry born of Coleridge's restless old age and his ironic reflection on his life.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Romanticism, Fiction, British Literature, Literature, 19th Century

357 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) was an English poet, critic, and philosopher who was, along with his friend William Wordsworth, one of the founders of the Romantic Movement in England and one of the Lake Poets. He is probably best known for his poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, as well as his major prose work Biographia Literaria.

Reviews

[Lizzytish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed his poems. My favorites were The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, The Eolian Harp, and Christabel.
The rhythms were fun and enjoyable to read, especially out loud.

Favorite quotes:The stilly murmur of the distance sea tells us of silence.

Tis well to be bereft of promis'd good, that we may lift the soul, and contemplate
with lively joy the joys we cannot share.

[Julia Sampaio · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

I guess Coleridge is my favourite romantic now…
fav poems:

• work without hope
• to nature
• the eolian harp
• this lime-tree bower my prison
• frost at midnight
• the nightingale
• christabel
• a stranger ministrel
• the picture, or the lover’s resolution
• dejection: an ode
• constancy to an ideal object
• the pains of sleep
• hope and time
• the visionary hope
• the blossoming of the solitary date-tree
• psyche
• song from remorse
• the world that spidery witch

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars!

I've owned this collection for a long time and since Samuel is somewhat local to the area of England that I'm from, I really hoped that this would become a new favourite. Sadly, the writing style just didn't work for me. Too melodramatic.

[Jomar Canales Conde · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And what if all of animated nature
Be but organic Harps diversely framed,
That tremble into thought, as o’er them sweeps
Plastic and vast, one intellectual breeze,
At once the Soul of each, and God of all?”

[Erin Ramsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*. Christabel was my favourite.

[Lief · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where Wordsworth deals more with the down-to-earth, realistic subjects, Samuel Taylor Coleridge deals much more with the fantastical. Among my favorites are "Kubla Khan" and "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." As with Wordsworth, I recommend looking for themes of longing in the poems, and also compare how he handles subjects in comparison to Wordsworth. Great read!

[David Edmonds · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Rime and Kubla Khan remain the highlights. Whilst I read all the rest I can't say that any of them resonate perhaps through lack of effort on my part.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Kubla Khan and the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. I had originally read both in AP English in High School. Thanks, Mr. Brimeyer

[Mrinny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most beautifully written poems ever. This is my favourite poet by far.

[Polina Kim (polinaspages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be done reading, but I’m not done ~reading~. I don’t think there is a way I can just finish this collection of selected poetry, I know for sure I’ll be revisiting this volume. The Rime of The Ancient Mariner is one of my favourite works EVER. I think I’ve read it at least four times, and I just knew I had to read other things by Coleridge. Not disappointed at all. I’m not a poetry expert, I just go with my gut, so I cant comment on how professional the poetry was, or what not, I can only say this: When you read the poetry, and Coleridge’s works, it gives you a special kind of feelings. The words give you so much pleasure, to think, to speak. There’s a pleasant sort of rhythm to all his works, even if the poems don’t rhyme or it’s not a poem at all.

My favourite works read here, these are the ones that stuck with me, other than The Rime of The Ancient Mariner, are:
-France. An Ode.
-The Eolian Harp
-Monody on the death of Chatterton
-Chrystabel
-Genevieve

In fact, I’m just going to include some quotes which I found either food for thought, or a pleasure to language here, and wrap up this review if you can even call it that. Not going to cite the quotes, instead, if you like them, I hope it motivates you to read the entire selection; not just the poem it’s from.

“O what a wonder seems the fear of death, seeing how gladly we all sink to sleep,”

“ that he who many a year with toil of breath
Found death and life, May he find life in death!”

“Hence, viper thoughts, that coil around my mind,
Reality’s dark dream!
I turn from you and listen to the wind,
Which long has raved unnoticed.”

“Perhaps 'tis tender too and pretty
At each wild word to feel within
A sweet recoil of love and pity. “

“whispering tongues can poison truth;
And constancy lives in realms above;
And life is thorny; and youth is vain;
And to be wroth with one we love
Doth work like madness in the brain. “

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only read 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and I really enjoyed it. I'm not a massive poetry fan, but I think the length and story telling within the poem was really enjoyed. I do think I'll come back to this poetry collection from time to time in the future, but for the time being, I'm happy with just reading "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner".

[Joe Maggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of Coleridge’s works, I very much enjoyed expanding on my previous studies, well aided by the brilliant notes included. Coleridge is definitely one of the most admirable Romantic poets and so reading through this is highly recommended.

[Caomhghain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading has reminded me just how astounding the 'Rime' and 'Xanadu' are. But he wrote a small number of other brilliant poems too.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a few great, many good, many fair, few bad, and many I didn't read. The intro notes that Coleridge was never considered a "great" poet. Indeed. I'm sure as I return to this and my opinion will change, but I'm through for now.

[D H · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonder what Coleridge would write if he wanted to complete Christabel...

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars