The Poetry of Our World: An International Anthology of Contemporary Poetry – An Eclectic Guide with Essays by Eminent Scholars

by Jeffery Paine (Editor), Helen Vendler (Editor), Burton Raffel (Editor)

Here is a capacious and sparkling gathering of poems, an anthology that extends its reach from the English-speaking world to Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. This unique volume includes such well-known figures as Pablo Neruda, Anna Akhmatova, Paul Celan, Seamus Heaney, Wole Soyinka, and Elizabeth Bishop but also offers the less familiar but equally welcome voices of Ugandan Okot p'Bitek, Indian A.K. Ramanujan, and the Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanikawa. With insightful essays by such eminent scholars and poets as Helen Vendler, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Sven Birkerts, Carolyn Forché, and Bei Dao placing the selections from each region in their cultural, political, and literary contexts, The Poetry of Our World guides readers through the richest and most eclectic selection of world poetry available today.

Genres: Poetry, School, Anthologies

544 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2000

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

What looked as if it would be a terrific book turned out to be pretty disappointing. There are some wonderful poems in the Latin American section in particular, but I really was saddened by the translations chosen to represent Africa and Asia and much of Europe.

[Antoinette Van Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology was a joy. Would recommend to anyone looking for a broadening of their horizons in the art of poetry. Culture, philosophy, feelings, presence and absence, questions of deity, and other considerations are rife throughout this volume, and it is a beauty to behold. Kept me sane through the chaos of this Autumn COVID semester.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pick up this book over and over; it's a great anthology of world poetry.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delighted with this book. Anything with Joseph Brodsky as a presiding influence has got to be the real deal. Great stuff.

[Kcatty]

Each person in my English 9 class was assigned a poet from this book. I got Elizabeth Bishop.

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Useful book to understand the history and context of poetry on the various continents. The poems were not great, on the whole. The good ones I have seen in other anthologies.

[Nouhaila Idrissi · Rating 5 out of 5]

magnificent collection of world poetry

[Katie Karnehm-Esh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how international this anthology is. I only wish we had a more current sequel to it.

[teddy bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I read for class. It was really good and I loved the poetry in it. I definitely recommend it if you are looking for poems from around the world!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.