100 Essential Modern Poems

by Joseph Parisi (Compiler/Editor/Introduction)

Inspired and inspirational, worldly wise, deeply felt, and often delightfully funny―here in one compact volume are 100 of the greatest poems written in English over the last century, memorable masterpieces that everyone should know and enjoy. Selected and introduced by Joseph Parisi, former longtime editor of Poetry magazine, this brilliant collection brings together the greatest poems by all the classic authors, along with the choicest works by today's most accomplished artists in America and abroad. From W. H. Auden and T. S. Eliot to John Ashbery and A. R. Ammons; Elizabeth Bishop and Marianne Moore to Sylvia Plath and Mary Oliver; Robert Frost and W. B. Yeats to Allen Ginsberg and Thom Gunn, this comprehensive anthology features the poems that have best expressed the spirit of our times and helped create modern culture. In addition to such ground-breaking works as "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and "Howl," Mr. Parisi has included the incisive social satire and whimsical wordplay of such wits as Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, and Frank O'Hara. Among contemporary poets in the book are Seamus Heaney, Jane Kenyon, Rita Dove, Sharon Olds, Paul Muldoon, Adrienne Rich, and the redoubtable Billy Collins, all of whom have already achieved wide popular acclaim for poems that speak compellingly about modern life and the perennial concerns of the human heart. Mr. Parisi provides a general introduction to the book and introduces each poem with a brief biographical and critical note. For anyone who wishes to discover or to re-experience the most important and vital poems of our time, 100 Essential Modern Poems is, quite simply, indispensable.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2005

Reviews

[Hank Hoeft · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm... I don't know. I flatter myself by thinking I'm an intelligent guy, one who is smarter than a majority of people on the planet. I score high on I.Q. tests, anyway. But one area where I feel lost in the woods much of the time is modern poetry. It's like non-representational art--if I can't tell what the painting is supposed to be, I usually don't understand why it's great art. I love literature and I want to have a deeper appreciation of poetry, but most of the poems in this collection left me thinking, "Huh?" I don't know if it's a case of I'm just not able to appreciate the poems--just as I'm not skilled at appreciating a fine wine--or if in fact the Emperor has no clothes. The extensive background information on the poets and the commentary on their poetry was helpful, but not helpful enough. I would conclude that what's lacking is my appreciation of the poets' craft and not the intrinsic worth of the poems, but my wife--who's a much more intelligent person than I--also dipped into the poems and came away with the same feeling of "So what?" Not all the selected poems left me feeling flat or puzzled, though, so I have hope that if I keep at it, my skill at mining poetical gold may improve, and I'll be able to appreciate more of the poems in this book and better understand what makes them "essential."

[Ellie Lashier · Rating 5 out of 5]

100 Essential Modern Poems is a collection of poetry and biographical snippets from one hundred modern poets from the past century compiled by Joseph Parisi, former editor of Poetry Magazine. The book covers each poet’s personal life from birth to death, which helps the reader understand the circumstances that led to the poetry produced along their journey. The biographical snippet also includes the poet’s basic worldview, their style of poetry, the influences on their poetry, the publications of their poetry, and the culture at the time and the impact that had on their poetry. Overall, the biographical snippets provide a background on the poet to complement the poetry. Then, Parisi provides one or two poems from the poet. The style of the book allows for their to be a large amount of information on the poets and include their poetry while not completely boring the reader to sleep.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading 100 Essential Modern Poems. Although I gather it might be more helpful as an reference book than a sit-down-and-read, it provides an excellent look at how poetry has evolved over the past century, while also taking a glimpse into some of the greatest poets of modern times lives and work. It’s an fabulous way to brush up on the basics of poetry. I have also found that due to the comprehensive nature of the text, you can see how different styles of poetry relate to the circumstances of a poet’s life. For example, confessional poets typically have traumatic life events, such as Anne Sexton. I also applaud the selection of poetry by Joseph Parisi. The works collected were definitely classics and deserved to be recognized as such. Seeing a century of poetry in one place truly makes one appreciate the epic impact poetry has on society as a true form of art and self expression. I probably wouldn’t recommend this book as a read beyond a reference book to anyone who does not have an extreme interest in poetry, however, if you do, you will highly benefit from reading this book. Overall, the book was informational and provided an incredible basis of knowledge for modern poetry.

[Fuchsia Rascal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book thinking it was a collection of modern poetry-- a specific type of poetry from a very specific time period. But then the description of the book defines it as a collection of poems from the last 100 years, so it's confusing. For the most part, it *is* a collection of modern poetry-- but not the ones I would define as being "essential", at least compared to others. I got into modern poetry because of the political commentary it provided, along with the multiple layers [sometimes very deep] of meaning. If you want modern poetry that you don't really have to think too hard about, this is probably for you. If you want something a little more intellectual, though, I'd suggest The Norton Anthology of Modern & Contemporary Poetry, Vol 1: Modern Poetry or Anthology of Modern American Poetry.

[Emily Philbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of my absolutely favorites are in this book so that's always a bonus. And then I found even more from poets I've always liked a particular poem, one or two, so to find a "new" one certainly was a pleasure. There are definitely some I expected to be in there as well especially as I am using it for a course I am taking, but beyond that I found quite a few poems to help bolster my teaching of poetry in the future and for me to just enjoy. Overall a thorough collection -- though I wonder what would change if it was to be compiled now in 2018.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great overview into modern poems and a short biography of the authors. It was just enough to pique my interest in several of the authors especially Dorothy Parker, Anne Sexton, and Ezra Pound who was apparently connected to everyone in modern poetry.

[Susan Dietz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book helped with my COVID resolution to read a poem a day. I enjoyed it but the bias of the editor for poets he likes (or knows/knew) is palpable.

[Harold Ackerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joseph Parisi's anthology is intended, he says (p. 4), as a sort of "desert-island book," a bundle of poems you would choose to have with you if you could have no other. You can see that many readers might want such a handy companion, but Parisi starts to run onto the rocks right with his title, which limits the choices to "Modern" poems, and with the table of contents, which arranges the poets in chronological order and gives us no writer born after 1952. What the title really means, then, is a selection of twentieth century poems written in English, primarily by British and American writers.

I question the need for this sheaf, as well as the criteria for the editor's choices. Consider that in this 300-page book, we must read 223 pages before we come upon a poet not previously widely anthologized: Linda Pastan. (If you insist, I would back up eight pages to Geoffrey Hill, but no further.) So, more than three-fourths of this collection is old chestnuts easily found in poetry texts and anthologies fifty years ago, the 1970s and 80s. Just 17 poets wouldn't have been widely published until later. Even the youngest, Rita Dove, had received prizes for her work by 1985. What of the poets who established themselves in the 1990s and the two decades following?

Immediately, readers will have objections to this selection. What about Philip Booth? What about Richard Eberhart? Isn't it time to give up MacNeice? What about David Jones instead of three pieces by Frost? What about Lucille Clifton and Louise Gluck? For my part, I say, how can you represent Wallace Stevens by three poems from his first book and nothing from his mature work 50 years later? And--Are you kidding about Ogden Nash?

Others will ask what constitutes "modern." Parisi refers to "excellent poems written over roughly the last one hundred years (4), though excluding such fine work as Thomas Hardy's "During Wind and Rain," from 1917. Apparently "modern" means a sort of awareness or style which Hardy did not exhibit but which continued in the work of many other poets until, roughly, 2005. It definitely does not mean only poems born out of the Modernist period of the early 1900s.

Collections of this sort, perhaps any anthology, must omit so many poems, even where editors have set forth strict determinants, that we have to question their value or at least their objectivity. It would be more honest to publish a collection titled just "One Hundred 20th-Century Poems."

This is not to say Mr. Parisi's collection is unworthy--only that it is arbitrary. But it does lead somewhere. What a great teaching tool: to ask each student to prepare their own 50-poem selection, writing a justification for their choices: 50 selected 19th century English poems; 50 Black American poems; 50 Imagist poems; 50 Feminist poems, and so on. Just so we all understand "essential," or "best," or "great" is a subjective evaluation.

[Andy Oram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I've read pretty widely, I have missed some of the major poets of the twentieth century, and I thank Parisi for filling in gaps. Of course, I would have made some substitutions: I think that Dorothy Parker and Ogden Nash could go, whereas Audre Lorde and Gary Snyder should certainly have been included.

But I won't comment on the changing priorities and fashions over the years, such as the search for greater diversity in the years after this book was published.

The biographical and analytical introductions celebrate Parisi's sympathy to each poet and come from deep investigations into the poets' lives and thoughts. The notes and indices at the end of the book are also helpful. Some authors get extended treatment in the introductions, notes, and poems selected, so "essential" is clearly a relative term in Parisi's taxonomy.

[Nicolas Name · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stopped reading about 2/3rd’s of the way through.

It’s everything I dislike about Literature and Poetry - the pretentiousness and the lack of anything serious to communicate besides a compulsion to write meaningless phrases because you imagined yourself with the identity of “poet” at one point in your life.

A bold title and crappy selection to match the title. The introductions to each author aren’t needed either and if they were to be included, could’ve been 1/10 as long. Just give the poems and if they’re good enough on their own, reader’s will Google the person or search the authors out and learn more about them.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated how this book gave information about the life and style of each poet along with one or a few poems from the artist. It was interesting how many modern poets led such tragic lives, full of alcoholism, affairs, and suicide. This might be one of the reasons that I have a hard time relating to poetry. There were a few artists surveyed in the book that raised my interest to read more from them: E. E. Cummings, Linda Pastan, Billy Collins.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

100 English-language poems plus helpful synopses of the poets' literary contributions and lives.

But more poems are always needed. More voices to be heard. Onward.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great snippets of biographical info

[Eric Bergman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biographies a bit long. Nice selection of poems, however.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt the need to brush on my poetry basics, including the biographies of the poets from the last year, and this collection offers the perfect taste -- it provides 1-4 poems for each poet and a paragraph to a few pages bio, helping to refresh your memory (how I really like Derek Walcott but forgot about him) or add to it (Hart Crane's father invented Life Savers). Joseph Parisi (former editor of POETRY) is the editor, so the biographies have a unique POETRY insight, showing how Hariet Monroe helped shape poetry as we now know it.

[Jukka]

100 Essential Modern Poems (1978) - Joseph Parisi
Excellent reference source and a friendly way to survey poets and poetry of the last 100 years. I found the short biographies well balanced and relevant. This book quite reasonably only has poetry written in English; perhaps a short addendum with a list of the poets in other languages would be useful.

So far i've discovered the poet Eavan Boland, rediscovered Elizabeth Bishop, and filled in some ideas on Robinson Jeffers.

[Josilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to modern poetry for those wanting to dive deeper from high school English. This anthology has all the classics like Frost and Eliot, and some other more obscure ones too. Each poet is featured in a brief biography highlighting the course of their lives and major themes in their work. The wide variety will guarantee something for everyone.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

PPE 12/26/07

[Maura Keenan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short biographies of each author....I found this an easy way to read some great poets and their poems.

[Reema]

oops, meant my "frankenstein" review for this book. ok, i guess look to that dear neglected monster for the truth about modern poetry collections.

[K.G. White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern Poets and some select poems, the intros for each author are intriguing.

[John Cates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a poetry reader - don't like it much, or didn't - this book may change that