Sounds Good

by Christopher Reid (Editor)

T.S. Eliot described the process whereby the ear can understand a poem before the mind can grasp it, and these 101 poems have been chosen specifically for the way they sound. They are accompanied by the editor's quirky insights into the formal and linguistic processes used by the writers.

Genres: Poetry, Anthologies

172 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 1998

About the author

Christopher Reid, FRSL is a Hong Kong-born British poet, essayist, cartoonist, and writer. He has been nominated twice for the Whitbread Awards in 1996 and in 1997. A contemporary of Martin Amis, he was educated at Exeter College, Oxford. He is one of the exponents of Martian poetry which employs unusual metaphors to render everyday experiences and objects unfamiliar. He has worked as poetry editor at Faber and Faber and Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Hull. In January 2010 he was awarded the 2009 Costa Book Award for A Scattering, written as a tribute to his late wife, the actress Lucinda Gane. The work won in the poetry category, and overall Best Book of the Year, becoming the first poet to take the overall prize since Seamus Heaney in 1999.

Reviews

[Fadillah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard a Fly buzz - when I died - The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air -
Between the Heaves of Storm -
The Eyes around - had wrung them dry - And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset - when the King Be witnessed - in the Room - I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away
What portion of me be
Assignable - and then it was
There interposed a Fly -
With Blue - uncertain stumbling Buzz-Between the light - and me-
And then the Windows failed - and then
I could not see to see -
- I heard a Fly buzz - when I died - The Stillness in the Room by Emily Dickinson (Sounds Good : 101 poems to be heard) by Christopher Reid
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Less than 10 poems that were compiled here calling out to me - i did not find this book engaging and by the time i reached 50 pages, i already felt bored. I think this is due to how outdated some of these poems are - i know we categorized it as classics but i am expecting the editor to balance the collection with classics and modern poetry but that was not the case. I also cannot help but see majority of the poets are white men and i do see some women’s work here but again, mostly are white. As editor noted that these poems are his personal favorites, he believed that they sounds good (to him) as title indicated. I have no comment on that as poems are personal and required deep reflection for those who have read it - we might view and interpret poems completely different from the poet themselves. I have always loved poetry despite my limited understanding of it (one because english is my second language, second would be i am not that deep) but this one was simply flat. However, if you love classics poetry then this might be your book.

[Steph De Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology of one hundred and one poems, chosen for their aural richness, makes for very enjoyable reading. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is one to savour slowly and, if possible, to read aloud. Many well-loved poems are included here (for instance, "La Belle Dame sans Merci", "Anthem for Doomed Youth", and "Do not go gentle into that good night"), and I was also pleased to discover some new favourites (including "The Fired Pot", "The Splendor Falls", and "London Snow").

As is the case with most anthologies, this one equally features a number of poems that I don't much care for, several of which I find somewhat trite or childish. Nonetheless, this is a lovely collection, whose compact nature makes it particularly portable; I'm sure I'll find myself re-reading this in a park or a café before too long.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit it: I was expecting more onomatopoeia.

Actually, there were some lovely poems here that I’d not dabbled in before.

But overall I was a bit disappointed. Lots of the “sounds” Christopher Reid has selected are simply things like pentameter, or repeated words - the common stuff most poetry is made of, and not particularly sensuous or startling here. He doesn’t even suggest in the introduction that these poems should (must!) be read aloud, which I would’ve thought was the acid test for a good auditory anthology.

And he didn’t include The Jabberwocky.

[Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection of poetry, most of which were no longer than a page or two, is worthwhile as a basic introduction, and for the theme of poems meant to be read aloud. But overall, the works contained within are not all that interesting, nor up to date, for the 21st century reader. Still, it is full of lots of classic names and provides a decent all-around introduction to poetry for those unfamiliar with major works.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise of this anthology and, to a large degree, the execution, although I find it less successful and inspiring than Ted Hughes' anthology By Heart. Perhaps this is because essentially poetry is 'to be heard' anyway?

I realised how very, very, very little I know about the technical side of poetry and how much I am missing out as a result.

[George Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. I have read it twice now. I have never devoted so much time to poetry; it is rewarding. I find that the necessity of choosing just the right word, as poetry demands us to do, reaps benefits later down the line, as one tries to express oneself succinctly and accurately describing something as ephemeral as dreams.

[Ashley Medbery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great thing about this book is that each poem in it is one that you know that someone, somewhere, heard read aloud for the very first time - and that moment is the one that made them appreciate poetry. I have a couple copies, each dog-eared and well loved.

[Katherine Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit miss and hit, nice introductional book for those looking at reading poetry (out of school).