So ... who do I like?

I was somewhat critical of Rupi Kaur's poetry in a recent post. At least in reading her work people are reading poetry, even if it's not the best, so that's a plus. Hopefully, at least a few of her readers will be inspired to move on to better poets.

But whose poetry do I like?

My two clear favorites are Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. I go back to their poetry again and again.

Other classic poets I regularly read include G. K. Chesterton (I'm a fan of him in general, but recognize his poetry is uneven and not his best work), Gerard Manley Hopkins, E. E. Cummings, Phyllis McGinley, Ogden Nash, and Pablo Neruda.

Among more contemporary poets I like the works of Wendell Berry, Yehuda Amichai, and Seamus Heaney.

I also read a lot of haiku and related forms (Issa and Shiki are particular favorites among the classic poets). Indeed, the only poetry journals to which I subscribe are frogpond, Modern Haiku, Acorn, and, just for the fun of it, Scifaikuest. They feature a number of contemporary haiku poets whose work I enjoy.

And I read any clerihews I can find.

In addition, I am a fan of children's poetry. I have a number of books by Douglas Florian, Myra Cohn Livingston, Jack Prelutsky, Bruce Lansky, Edward Lear, and Kenn Nesbitt.

Finally, there are two poets I read not because they are great poets in the classic sense, but because of who they are or the kind of poetry there write: Helen Steiner Rice and Mattie J. T. Stepanek.

There are other poets I occasionally read, some for school, some just because they caught my attention. But I don't go out of my way to seek their work.

I think before bed I'll read some haiku.

Pax et bonum