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A Little Treasury of Modern Poetry: English and American
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828 pages, Textbook Binding
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 14, 2020
I am, basically, not a poetry person.
I recall reading with relief that J.R.R.Tolkien admitted
he had skipped the poetry sections of books he read as a youth.
By the time he was my age, though,
JRRT had most definitely changed his tune,
whereas I only somewhat have.
So, why was I reading this book?
Well partly, it is an attempt to figure out what I am missing.
Partly, it is because I have occasionally enjoyed writing poetry,
if only for myself,
and that suggests that perhaps I could learn to enjoy reading it.
Partly, I admit, it was that the book had a nice binding,
aging gold foil on the top of the pages
and a red ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding.
It may be, that I am too shallow for poetry.
The method (or should I say venue?)
that I chose for this collection,
was to leave it on my nightstand,
and most nights read one or two poems.
This was typically followed by a smartphone wikipedia search
for biography and images.
I am not sure what it says about me
that I was quite often more interested in reading their wikipedia biographies,
than their poems,
but I did occasionally enjoy them.
Edna St. Vincent Millay, Ogden Nash, E.E.Cummings, a few others.
I do not get what the deal is with T.S.Eliot.
Boring.
I did mention that I might be too shallow for poetry.
But, on the whole, it was a calming and pleasant way to wind down for the night,
reading somebody else's words, not too long,
and perhaps a quick summary of their life,
and thinking about what it was like when poets were celebrities,
and newspapers carried new poems,
and a great many people read them
and clipped out and memorized their favorites.
It may come again.
I recall reading with relief that J.R.R.Tolkien admitted
he had skipped the poetry sections of books he read as a youth.
By the time he was my age, though,
JRRT had most definitely changed his tune,
whereas I only somewhat have.
So, why was I reading this book?
Well partly, it is an attempt to figure out what I am missing.
Partly, it is because I have occasionally enjoyed writing poetry,
if only for myself,
and that suggests that perhaps I could learn to enjoy reading it.
Partly, I admit, it was that the book had a nice binding,
aging gold foil on the top of the pages
and a red ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding.
It may be, that I am too shallow for poetry.
The method (or should I say venue?)
that I chose for this collection,
was to leave it on my nightstand,
and most nights read one or two poems.
This was typically followed by a smartphone wikipedia search
for biography and images.
I am not sure what it says about me
that I was quite often more interested in reading their wikipedia biographies,
than their poems,
but I did occasionally enjoy them.
Edna St. Vincent Millay, Ogden Nash, E.E.Cummings, a few others.
I do not get what the deal is with T.S.Eliot.
Boring.
I did mention that I might be too shallow for poetry.
But, on the whole, it was a calming and pleasant way to wind down for the night,
reading somebody else's words, not too long,
and perhaps a quick summary of their life,
and thinking about what it was like when poets were celebrities,
and newspapers carried new poems,
and a great many people read them
and clipped out and memorized their favorites.
It may come again.
July 21, 2024
This book has been on my shelf for a long time. I don't remember where I picked it up. Over the years I occasionally dipped into it for a poem or two. It seems to be a college collection of English and American poems from the late 19th century through the 1940s (from Thomas Hardy through Dylan Thomas). It was published in 1952.
The heart of the book is selected works by major poets, organized chronologically by their year of birth. That's followed by shorter sections on "modern lyrics", "the poetry of the forties", "light verse" and appendices that include excerpts of prose/criticism comments about poetry in general and war poetry more specifically. Issues addressed include the nature of poetry, what distinguishes it from prose, what the point/value is, where valuing obscurity comes from (this apparently arose when crossword puzzles were of interest). There's also a bibliography and photos of many of the poets included in the collection.
Full disclosure: I mostly read through the poems once. I know that isn't the way to do it, as a rule, but at over 800 pages, I thought I'd dip back into some specific poems in the future. Savouring each one on this read through would have taken more time than I was ready to commit.
Even with single readings being the rule, some poets and poems jumped out as painting pictures remarkably well. Others were obscure, and sometimes seemed to be pretentiously so.
With no intended disrespect to current poets, poetry seems to be an art form that was held in greater esteem when this book was put together than it is now. Perhaps that's in part as allusions are easier to understand when there's more of a monolithic culture (at least among the poetic class), with common historical and literary touch points. Other arts in our more culturally diverse world may have supplanted the role played by poetry 80+ years ago. And/or perhaps disdain for high brow culture has dumbed things down.
Some mindsets in the collection jump out, though only on occasion, that are jarring to a modern reader -- notably related to race and gender. There is very much a feeling of the impact of the world wars, in the poems included and in comments about the raw emotions people had to grapple with just after the second world war in particular.
This book *is* a treasury. I feel like some doors have been opened by reading through it, both for certain poems themselves and for awareness of the world that made such a collection possible. I plan to dip into the book in the future.
The heart of the book is selected works by major poets, organized chronologically by their year of birth. That's followed by shorter sections on "modern lyrics", "the poetry of the forties", "light verse" and appendices that include excerpts of prose/criticism comments about poetry in general and war poetry more specifically. Issues addressed include the nature of poetry, what distinguishes it from prose, what the point/value is, where valuing obscurity comes from (this apparently arose when crossword puzzles were of interest). There's also a bibliography and photos of many of the poets included in the collection.
Full disclosure: I mostly read through the poems once. I know that isn't the way to do it, as a rule, but at over 800 pages, I thought I'd dip back into some specific poems in the future. Savouring each one on this read through would have taken more time than I was ready to commit.
Even with single readings being the rule, some poets and poems jumped out as painting pictures remarkably well. Others were obscure, and sometimes seemed to be pretentiously so.
With no intended disrespect to current poets, poetry seems to be an art form that was held in greater esteem when this book was put together than it is now. Perhaps that's in part as allusions are easier to understand when there's more of a monolithic culture (at least among the poetic class), with common historical and literary touch points. Other arts in our more culturally diverse world may have supplanted the role played by poetry 80+ years ago. And/or perhaps disdain for high brow culture has dumbed things down.
Some mindsets in the collection jump out, though only on occasion, that are jarring to a modern reader -- notably related to race and gender. There is very much a feeling of the impact of the world wars, in the poems included and in comments about the raw emotions people had to grapple with just after the second world war in particular.
This book *is* a treasury. I feel like some doors have been opened by reading through it, both for certain poems themselves and for awareness of the world that made such a collection possible. I plan to dip into the book in the future.
January 25, 2014
This book of poems is completely delightful and definitely one to keep on hand at all times...you know...in the case of emergency.
June 24, 2020
This book is very well put together - both in it's physical design and it's content. My Mother took a college class in poetry in the 1950's; this was the text. It is small, hardbacked, very thin, fine paper, has lasted well and has a heft to it that I like.
The editor, Oscar Williams, created a tribute to poetry in 5 parts: 1) Chief Modern poets of England and America (most recent poet's birth day 1914, Dylan Thomas), 2) Modern Lyrics, such as"Chicago" by Carl Sandberg, 3) The poetry of the 40's: i.e. Berryman, Lowell, Wilbur, 4) Modern light Verse - Gertrude Stein, Ogden Nash, and 5) Appendix, with an interesting collection of notes such as "list of the War Poems of the 20th century".
My copy of the Little Treasury has my Mother's beautiful signature on the fronts piece and notes and markings which indicate her favorites and her thoughts.
The introduction of the first edition includes this quote from W. H. Auden (page xxxviii):
When we read Kipling we can usually say "That is just how I feel". Of course there is nothing "wrong" with that, but, when we read a great poet, we say, "I never realized before what I felt. From now on, thanks to this poem, I shall feel differently."
Indeed, a Treasure!
The editor, Oscar Williams, created a tribute to poetry in 5 parts: 1) Chief Modern poets of England and America (most recent poet's birth day 1914, Dylan Thomas), 2) Modern Lyrics, such as"Chicago" by Carl Sandberg, 3) The poetry of the 40's: i.e. Berryman, Lowell, Wilbur, 4) Modern light Verse - Gertrude Stein, Ogden Nash, and 5) Appendix, with an interesting collection of notes such as "list of the War Poems of the 20th century".
My copy of the Little Treasury has my Mother's beautiful signature on the fronts piece and notes and markings which indicate her favorites and her thoughts.
The introduction of the first edition includes this quote from W. H. Auden (page xxxviii):
When we read Kipling we can usually say "That is just how I feel". Of course there is nothing "wrong" with that, but, when we read a great poet, we say, "I never realized before what I felt. From now on, thanks to this poem, I shall feel differently."
Indeed, a Treasure!
November 28, 2022
One of "The Little Treasury" Series
I am looking at the revised edition that moved from two sections to five sections.
1) A Little Treasury of the Chief Modern Poetry of England and America
2) A Little Treasury of Modern Lyrics
3) A Little Treasury of the Poetry of the Forties
4) A Little Treasury of Modern Light Verse
5) An appendix that contains prose statements by poets on "Poets and Poetry"
One of my favorite poems from this book is by Robert Frost:
FIRE AND ICE
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
It is also great and would suffice.
I am looking at the revised edition that moved from two sections to five sections.
1) A Little Treasury of the Chief Modern Poetry of England and America
2) A Little Treasury of Modern Lyrics
3) A Little Treasury of the Poetry of the Forties
4) A Little Treasury of Modern Light Verse
5) An appendix that contains prose statements by poets on "Poets and Poetry"
One of my favorite poems from this book is by Robert Frost:
FIRE AND ICE
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
It is also great and would suffice.
May 14, 2025
I'm reading the 1946 hardcover edition, slowly, enjoying each line, each phrase, each twist, turn and loop of wordplay and conjured images. I'm reading cover-to-cover as is my preference. The poems are arranged by topics but there is apparently no index of topics. The topic is noted at the tops of pages so it's convenient to find a particular poem quickly if desired. This is quite a nice book to read. The feel of the cover and the pages are, as Robert Persig might offer: "Quality."
The most interesting feeling I've gotten from these poems so far come from the poems about the reality of war. Many perspectives are offered, from the too realistically gruesome, to the emphatic lauding of Country, Courage, Valor and Honor.
I have noted several for future re-reading and also hand copied a few just for the pure fun of writing those words. I made the comment that e.e. cummings has a way with words...and meant it.
Emily Dickenson is wonderful. Robert Frost more than I remembered...and so on. I especially loved the photos of the poets as a yearbook type presentation. I'll remember this book forever.
The most interesting feeling I've gotten from these poems so far come from the poems about the reality of war. Many perspectives are offered, from the too realistically gruesome, to the emphatic lauding of Country, Courage, Valor and Honor.
I have noted several for future re-reading and also hand copied a few just for the pure fun of writing those words. I made the comment that e.e. cummings has a way with words...and meant it.
Emily Dickenson is wonderful. Robert Frost more than I remembered...and so on. I especially loved the photos of the poets as a yearbook type presentation. I'll remember this book forever.
January 9, 2013
"Music I Heard" by Conrad Aiken, p. 330
"Success Is Counted Sweetest" by Emily Dickinson, p. 267
"Elegy" by Gene Derwood, p. 273
"Part of Plenty" by Bernard Spencer, p. 331
"Little Boy Blue" by John Crowe Ransom.
March 3, 2009
An excellent collection. Very nearly a vade-mecum.
April 15, 2012
I first met this book in a college English course decades ago. I often look up poems in it. I really like the choices made. Now if only I could find something for the last 50 years!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews