The New Penguin Book of Love Poetry

by Jon Stallworthy (Editor)

When I am sad and weary
When I think all hope has gone
When I walk along High Holborn
I think of you with nothing on

There are almost as many definitions and different sorts of love as there are poets. Edited on the assumption that any poem which speaks of one human’s desire for another is a qualifying factor, this rich and diverse anthology ranges through time and fashion to best represent ‘man’s changeless responses to the changeless changing seasons of his heart’.

Wine comes in at the mouth
And love comes in at the eye;
That’s all we know for truth
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, and I sigh.

Edited with an Introduction by Jon Stallworthy

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Fiction

432 pages, ebook

First published January 28, 2003

About the author

Jon (Howie) Stallworthy (18 January 1935 – 19 November 2014) FBA FRSL was Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Oxford. He was also a Fellow (and was twice Acting President) of Wolfson College, a poet, and a literary critic. From 1977 to 1986, he was the John Wendell Anderson Professor of English at Cornell.

Stallworthy was born in London. His parents, Sir John Stallworthy and Margaret Stallworthy, were from New Zealand and moved to England in 1934. Stallworthy started writing poems when he was only seven years old. He was educated at the Dragon School, Rugby School and at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he won the Newdigate prize. His works include seven volumes of poetry, and biographies of Wilfred Owen and Louis MacNeice. He has edited several anthologies and is particularly known for his work on war poetry.

While researching the local history of New Zealand Stallworthy discovered an obscure volume entitled Early Northern Wairoa written by his great-grandfather, John Stallworthy (1854–1923), in 1916. From this book he learned that his great-great-grandfather, George Stallworthy (1809–1859), had left his birthplace of Preston Bissett in Buckinghamshire, England, for the Marquesas as a missionary. This discovery led in turn to him finding family-related letters in the archives of the London Missionary Society. Stallworthy's book A Familiar Tree (Oxford University Press, 1978) is a collection of poetry inspired by events depicted in these documents. Singing School is an autobiography which emphasises Stallworthy's development as a poet.

Stallworthy wrote a short summary of war poetry in the introductory chapter to the Oxford Book of War Poetry (Edited by Jon Stallworthy, Oxford University Press, 1984), as well as editing several anthologies of war poetry and writing a biography of Wilfred Owen. In 2010 he received the Wilfred Owen Poetry Award from the Wilfred Owen Association. In the course of his literary career, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the British Academy.

Reviews

[Kelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was some lovely poems in this collection, some were even incredibly heart breaking. I had just come out of hospital and I wanted to read some romantic, love filled poems. I liked quite a lot of them however I couldn't rate it higher because I was surprised that this collection of love poetry included some rapey poems or lusting after very young girls and that's just wrong on so many levels. Too many of these poems were disgusting and I'm disappointed they were included (one poet referring to his wife as 'you bitch' yep that's true love right there), yes you can argue that some were written back in the days when all of that was okay but they shouldn't be celebrated in this day and age, I strongly believe they shouldn't have been included.
So yes some really lovely, beautiful and romantic poems but someone really should have checked the other more disturbed poets.
x

[Rebecca Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful collection

My new favourite poetry anthology. Would make a great Anniversary gift. And I need just nine more choice words apparently...

[odge · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a good collection of poems. i love love !!!

[Sageoulinaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s revisit some of my favourite lines from this brilliant anthology:

But this dedication is for others to read:
These are private words addressed to you in public. (T.S. Eliot - A dedication to my wife)

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.
(Carol Ann Duffy - Valentine)

Don’t talk to me of love. Let’s talk of Paris.
I’m in Paris with the slightest thing you do.
I’m in Paris with your eyes, your mouth,
I’m in Paris with … all points south.
Am I embarrassing you?
I’m in Paris with you.
(James Fenton - In Paris with you)

Because tonight you are in my hair and eyes,
And every street light that our taxi passes shows me you again, still you,
And because tonight all other nights are black, all other hours are cold and far away, and now this minute, the stars are very near and bright
(Kenneth Fearing - Love 20¢ the first quarter mile)

How did the party go in Portman Square?
I cannot tell you; Juliet was not there.

And how did Lady Gaster’s Party go?
Juliet was next to me and I do not know.
(Hilaire Belloc - Juliet)

If I could choose
Freely in that great treasure-house
Anything from any shelf,
I would give you back yourself
(Edward Thomas - And you, Helen)

Girls in their seasons. Solstice and equinox
(Derek Mahon - Girls in their seasons)

[Francesca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure I’m following why so many of the poems are about virgins, innocence and sometimes rape when there’s probably hundreds of thousands of beautiful poems that aren’t. Also this is predominantly western writings, why? Have they ever read an Arabic love poem, they’re some of the best ever written and I don’t even remember seeing one. Confused by the whole thing.

2 stars cause I was pleased to see my favourite poem ever in there on the last couple of pages so at least it ended on a good note (for me at least)

[Arlo Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 15% of these were incredible, but there were far too many mentions of virginity, maidenhood and cuckholding i.e. men can't be trusted to write about women.

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I either absolutely adored or absolutely despised these poems, no inbetween. Some were fantastic, others I couldn't believe are even considered poetry, let alone long-remembered and beloved classics.

This collection was 90% by men, 10% by women at best. Guess which side I enjoyed more.

My favourite poem was Christina Rossetti's The First Day, (I really want to read more of her,) and my most HATED was robert herrick's to the virgins, to make much of time. Disgusting.

Also y'all need to accept that just because poetry is old, doesn't mean it's good. Shakespeare was a SHIT poet. One of his most famous and can be found in all collections like this, is of backhanded comments about his lover's appearance saying she's ugly and she stinks, but he claims to love her despite. Ladies, if he doesn't treat you like Venus, HE DOES NOT LOVE YOU.

Other poems I notably really liked include Ovid's Elegy 5, Alice Meynell's Renouncement, Mary Coleridge's My True Love Hath My Heart And I Have His, Dorothy Parker's Unfortunate Coincidence, and everything that Christina Rossetti wrote.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This took me pretty much a year to get through - I thought it was brilliant. So many great poems to do for Love Through the Ages at A Level. I feel like I really understand the different trends in the eras, etc.

[Andreea Rettegi]

DNF

[Iulia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much to love here (and a few poems either in dialect or old English that I found fairly unreadable).
Among my new-to-me favourites:

Patrick Macdonogh - "She Walked Unaware"
Carol Ann Duffy - "Warming Her Pearls"
Anthony Hecht - "Going the Rounds: A Sort of Love Poem"
Louis MacNeice - "Meeting Point", "Christina" and "The Sunlight on the Garden"
Lawrence Ferlinghetti - "Away Above a Harborful"
Yehuda Amichai - "A Pity. We Were Such a Good Invention"
Peter Porter - "An Exequi"
Charles Baudelaire - "Damned Women"
Thomas Hardy - "Under the Waterfall"
Catherine Tufariello - "After All"
Robert Graves - "Sick Love"

[sasena]

It is impossible to rate an anthology, some of the poems are my favourites in the whole wide world and some I detested

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute beautiful perfection.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

“When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep”

[Arianna Bakker · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of love poetry! From classics to soon-to-be classics, it is such a joy to read a plethora of authors, rhythms, & styles.

[Adam Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone mesmerised and infatuated by the concept of love this is one of my favourite anthologies xx

[Mynameisnot_Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me want to fall in love, made me fear love and despise how love can hurt us

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago I owned this book and somehow or another, I lost it. The only book I've ever lost that I know of. I don't know which edition I had, but it is excellent. These are all the best love poems throughout history put in one book.