Listing the books of poetry you've read or intend to read

[Jen]

Start your personal thread within this discussion area for books you have read. At the beginning of the year we often list books we hope to read during the course of the year but that's not necessary. Throughout the year we list books we actually have read and reviewed and keep count to see how close we are to 20. You can comment in this thread but please create a new thread to list your books. And note that the 2018 Reviews themselves go under a different heading. Carry on!

Happy Poetry Reading in 2018!

[Sarah]

Thanks so much, Jen. I was just scrambling in to set some of this up! Happy new year!

[Jen]

S. wrote: "Thanks so much, Jen. I was just scrambling in to set some of this up! Happy new year!"

Happy New Year, Sarah!

[Bethany]

For National Poetry Month I am reading a poetry book each day and blogging about it -- www.bethanyareid.com --

I'm so glad I found this group!

[Jen]

Bethany wrote: "For National Poetry Month I am reading a poetry book each day and blogging about it -- www.bethanyareid.com --

I'm so glad I found this group!"

Goodness, Bethany. I know some poetry books are short but a book a day sounds like a recipe for poetry indigestion.

We're certainly glad to have someone on board with this level of daring. Feel free to post your reviews here as well as on your blog.

[Bethany]

I have to say -- reading a poetry book each day is not causing indigestion at all (I worried about that too!). It is a very different way to experience poetry, and probably not one I'll repeat, but it has a cumulative effect that I'm enjoying.

If anyone wants to follow me, the address again is www.bethanyareid.com

[Jenna]

This reminds me of being in a Mark Strand workshop while in med school and Mark Strand telling us that virtually no poet has any excuse for not reading one poetry book per week. I still agree with the spirit of the remark, although I do believe -- even more strongly now than I did then -- that there exist plenty of excuses for not reading one poetry book per week, the largest of which is, of course, that we all have to go to work. But in an ideal world, I do think reading one poetry book per week would be best, especially for a reader who is trying to be a poet herself, who is putting poetry books of her own out into the world and hoping others will read them. There are so many poetry books out there -- how else would we read them all? I've never been able to read at quite that rate, but since joining this group I've tended to average 1-3 poetry books per month and perhaps one day I will be able to bring up my total even more.

[Alarie]

Bethany wrote: "I have to say -- reading a poetry book each day is not causing indigestion at all (I worried about that too!). It is a very different way to experience poetry, and probably not one I'll repeat, but..."

Fantastic idea, Bethany! I look forward to seeing your reviews. I think two-three poetry books/month is a good pace, since I like to read novels and want to write poetry more than reviews, but see both as part of my vocation.

[Bethany]

Jenna wrote: "This reminds me of being in a Mark Strand workshop while in med school and Mark Strand telling us that virtually no poet has any excuse for not reading one poetry book per week. I still agree with ..."

What a good comment -- Although reading a book a day is a lot (perhaps far too much) to take in, I'm making notes for what I want to reread. I am also finding that reading so much poetry is putting my own poetry front and center in my brain. So Mark Strand is right.

[Alarie]

Yes, poetry will take over. I'm relieved you're planning to reread the favorites. I thought you'd said you were also reviewing each of those daily books and figured you were having to give up sleep.

I believe in the spirit of Strand's remark, too, but poetry books are not all as easily or quickly read.

[Nina]

I also find that I read differently when the purpose is to review. I'll go back after the analytic read and do a pure pleasure read.

[Alarie]

Nina wrote: "I also find that I read differently when the purpose is to review. I'll go back after the analytic read and do a pure pleasure read."

I tend to do that, too, Nina, only in reverse. I make more notes for a review, but I read it the first time for pleasure, then go back to the passages and poems I marked to quote when I write a review.

[Jen]

The primary way I read differently for a review is that I mark poems in the contents specifically as being good examples for the review. If my analytical side is piqued, it will be running the whole time regardless of whether I intend to review. If my analytical side isn't offered much fodder, I tend to just read for pleasure and have a shorter and less defined review. Of course, that's because I'm not reviewing for a publication as some folks here do.

[Bethany]

Jenna wrote: "This reminds me of being in a Mark Strand workshop while in med school and Mark Strand telling us that virtually no poet has any excuse for not reading one poetry book per week. I still agree with ..."

1-3 poetry books each month is PLENTY ambitious! I find that I often read a few poems in a book and then put it down, as it can feel overwhelming. This project was in celebration of National Poetry Month, but I'm really glad I took it on. Even so, if I weren't committed to my blog readers, I'm pretty sure I'd have stopped about halfway. I'm pretty envious that you studied with Mark Strand!!

[Nitya]

I’ve read many beautiful poems but not a book. I live modern poetry.
You folks may like my book. Check it out!

One Flew Over The Heart: Book of Poems by Nitya Swaruba
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Cheers!

[Bethany]

Alarie wrote: "Bethany wrote: "I have to say -- reading a poetry book each day is not causing indigestion at all (I worried about that too!). It is a very different way to experience poetry, and probably not one ..."

I will definitely be dropping back into 2-3 poetry books a month. This project was a tad bit overwhelming! I am however, almost at the end: reading 30 poetry books and blogging about them during Poetry Month! I'll work at getting my Goodreads poetry shelf up to date, too. www.bethanyareid.com

[Bethany]

Nitya wrote: "I’ve read many beautiful poems but not a book. I live modern poetry.
You folks may like my book. Check it out!

But imagine a film maker who didn't love watching films -- reading individual beautiful poems is good, but reading books of poems will strengthen your notion of how to put together your next book -- showing you how to do it, and how not to do it. Good luck to you!