Essential Poems

by Daisy Goodwin (Editor)

Forget chocolate, exotic lingerie, or marriage counselors—the only props you'll ever need, whether you are in love or out of it, are the poems in this book. There are verses here to console you when the phone doesn't ring or the divorce papers have been signed, and poems that celebrate the joy of being in love, from the first kiss to walking down the aisle (for the second time). These essential poems, which include never-before-anthologized works, will tell you the truth about love.

Genres: Poetry

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 6, 2003

About the author

DAISY GOODWIN, a Harkness scholar who attended Columbia University’s film school after earning a degree in history at Cambridge University, is a leading television producer in the U.K. Her poetry anthologies, including 101 Poems That Could Save Your Life, have introduced many new readers to the pleasures of poetry, and she was Chair of the judging panel of the 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction. That was the year she published her first novel the American Heiress ( My Last Duchess in UK) , followed by The Fortune Hunter and now Victoria. She has also created VICTORIA the PBS/ITV series which starts in January. She has three dogs, two dogs, and one husband.

Reviews

[Chelsea Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great wholehearted poetry collection which covers just about every aspect of love you can think of and more besides. It's well rounded and contains a good selection of modern and more classic poetry with often amusing intros to the different categories. Only one star less because a lot of the classics are very familiar and other poetry collections I possess also contain them, so it feels a bit tired at times. But overall worth having on the shelf to dip in and out of.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Poems:

He wishes for the cloths of heaven

Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet;
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

-W.B. Yeats

All the while

Upstairs to my downstairs
echo to my silence
you walk through my veins shopping
and spin food from my sleep

I hear your small noises
you hide in closets without handles
you surprise me from the cellar
your foot-soles bright black

You slip in and out of beauty
and imply that nothing is wrong
Who sent you?
What is your assignment?

Though years sneak by like children
you stay as unaccountable
as the underwear set to soak
in the bowl where I brush my teeth.

-John Updike

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection of poems dealing with love and it's many aspects. Includes one of my favourite poems: the Bitcherel by Eleanor Brown.

[Calum Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion this is one of DG’s best compilations. It has some of my favourite poems including ‘Joys that sting’, ‘Funeral Blues’ and ‘when you are old and grey’.

It has a section on parenthood and sections on grief and breakups.

Beautiful collection.

[BookWithAView · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great selection of poems from across the centuries, from Byron to Carol Ann Duffy. Worthy read.

[Judith Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

As would be expected, a bit of a mixed bag. However, as I got it second-hand for £1, worth every penny!

[Meenal · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 29%.

Incohesive.

[Mnor · Rating 5 out of 5]

its very senceitive book !

[Christel Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always try to be currently reading some sort of poetry, and this book has a lot of good classics (W.H. Auden, e.e. cummings). Now, I'm off to find my next book!

[Darice Taipalus]

Love it.

I already own the hardcopy version of this book but I bought it again and read a few aloud. love that he listens and comments on poetry, not his forte, but shared anyway.