Poetry in anthology form is always subject to criticism by
readers who feel aggrieved at the works excluded. Even at 475 pages, this work
necessarily omits some well-known works and even some respected poets. But it
gives a flavour of the genre as it’s developed over the centuries.
The editors arranged the verses alphabetically so that an
air of randomness pervades the volume. There’s no attempt at thematic or
topical arrangement. Surprise is the intention: the joy of stumbling on work
new to the reader.
Much here is familiar, popular, or representative. But there
are also extracts of less well-known pieces, examples of lesser poets,
forgotten wordsmiths, and those whose words were originally expressed in
foreign tongues.
Is it balanced? I’m no expert: I took up a book, which has
been on my shelves since its issue in 1987, simply because I’ve recently become
interested in expressing myself in poetry. This was an exercise in discovering
what’s possible in the form, an enquiry into what works, and what doesn’t. And,
under such scrutiny, it’s natural that my assessment will be deeply personal.
My conclusion? Poetry can be anything, from the formal
rhymes of schemes devised to test the poet’s skill, to prose chopped
arbitrarily into sections that look somehow appropriate on the printed page. It
can voice attitude, wonder, despair, or any of the emotions known to man. And
it’s noticeable that it is men who are most represented here; the women
characterized by a token scattering of the famous.
I confess, there were works here that I hardly started;
their opening lines so obscure or lacking personal connection that I declined
to sample them further. There were others that I read more than once, their
accessibility or emotional impact such that they made contact with the human
experience of this reader.
For lovers of poetry, this volume is either a collection of
works already known or a showcase of the craft. But for those seeking insight
into a world new to them, those dipping the toe or testing the flavour, it’s an
interesting adventure. If, like me, you’re curious about the making of a poem,
the structure of a verse, the range of topic or theme applicable, then this
will answer some of your questions, and I recommend it.
