Bartlett's Poems for Occasions

by Geoffrey O'Brien

Bartlett's Poems for Occasions , an entertaining, thought-provoking companion to the bestselling Bartlett's Familiar Quotations , is the book to turn to for any circumstance -- from birth to death and everything in between.

Under the direction of esteemed poet and writer Geoffrey O'Brien, Bartlett's Poems for Occasions will inspire you to turn to poetry to celebrate a new baby or marriage, toast a colleague, cheer a graduate, honor a birthday, deliver a eulogy, or add zest to a holiday party. It is the perfect solution to the age-old question, What should I say?

Genres: Poetry, Reference

544 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Anna Keating · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetry is the antidote to the Internet, social media, and all the rest.

[Lagobond · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I was looking for, well, poems for various occasions. Poems to send into the world to acknowledge birthdays, bereavements, weddings, and various seasons. I didn't find much that I would want to share with others on these occasions. I found that, for the most part: The poems that spoke of birth and birthdays were not celebratory. The poems about grief were not comforting. The poems about seasons did not evoke the season they spoke of.

As a poetry anthology, this book is middling at best. It skews toward the hardscrabble and the melancholic, toward admonishments and depression... which is fine, as poetry does and should cover the whole of human experience. But as it specifically calls itself a collection of "poems for occasions," I'm measuring it with a different yardstick. And I have to say that on the whole, I hope nobody chooses from this when writing to me to commemorate a particular occasion.

[William King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book of poetry chocolates, something for everyone and every occasion.

Below is One of my favourites from the into Adulthood chapter that I often share with my children.

DREAMS

hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know. It does what it does.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

You never know when you'll need a poem! This is fabulous!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect book for teaching oral interpretation. In terms of personal use, I wouldn't get much from it, but I think a lot of my students find this as a great introduction to poetry.

[John Stafiej · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a great range of poems here... If you are a fan of poetry then I'd say this is a good anthology for ya.