5 Great Poets You Should Read and Know (if you want to) 

This was wonderful, Aaron. I need to read poetry! I just … get intimidated sometimes, I think. I may make a video about poetry I need to know better. 💛

This was delightful,Aaron. I’ve seen Josh’s video. I will seek out Joe Spivey’s. I think I may have to add my two cents to this discussion! I might also like to do a video on 5 living poets, as I read a great deal of contemporary poetry, but I think I’ll try to do a response to you and Josh and Joe as well! This will be fun!😊

So many good recommendations for us to explore! Thank you

Brilliant Aaron. You and Pat have certainly given me lots to consider trying when it comes to poetry and thanks to you both a spark has been ignited 😊

I haven't visited for a bit but so enjoyed hearing you again!

Please, add C. P. Cavafy in your future TBR as well !

Hi, I have read several of your posts now and subscribed. We have such similar "tastes" And it is good to find a poetry person booktuber. I find you smart, oh and fun & funny. Even a little goofy ! I will be busy reading you for awhile. Thanks. My 5 poets would be Chaucer, Byron, Coleridge, Wallace Stevens, Edna St Vincent Millay, Later

This is such a joyful video, Aaron! I hadn’t heard of Stallings or Graham before this. Your readings of their work have convinced me to give them a try. I get what you mean about the problems of translation. It’s what has kept me from reading a lot of Roman poets, like Horace and Juvenal. But that passage from Rilke was quite interesting! I will have to look into that edition. I had so much fun watching this. It would be such fun if it catches on with other Booktubers too!

This is wonderful Aaron, loads of good information and inspiration here. I just picked up a copy of Alice Oswald's Spacecraft Voyager 1, a Graywolf Press collection of new and selected poems. I've never read her and am looking forward to becoming a fan.

I appreciate that you include some contemporary poets on your list and I enjoyed learning more about W.S. Graham. A wonderfully varied list.

Snow is my favorite translator of Rilke as well. A long while ago I chose that collection as my book club title choice. As host I found a toy snowcone machine for providing treats. Big hit!! A thin connection but I like that thinness.

I’ll look for that edition of Rilke - he’s a poet that has never touched me.

Nice one, Aaron! Really enjoyed this. Might have to make my own version of this video! Will be sure to tag you. Hope fatherhood is treating you well? X

It's the same for me with translated poetry. I'm reading a lot of books in English, fiction and nonfiction, without much of a problem, but when I'm reading poetry, I always have the feeling that I'm missing something. Reading poetry in German touches me on a different level most of the time. With Rilke, who is also my favourite male late poet, I can tell you that I compared the translations of certain poems and as good as they are, I couldn't overlook the feeling that the melancholy, sadness or sentiment, which plays a big part in his poetry, is not on the same level. I think poetry is definitely the hardest to translate into another language. And I think for readers no poetry hits harder than the one in your native language.

This was lovely, thanks for sharing.

There are so many poets who I haven’t read, but if I had to recommend my favorite 4 great poets I would choose Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) Marianne Moore (1887-1972) John Donne (1572-1631) Jean Toomer (1894-1967) The first three stick for me especially, but I have not read nearly enough from anyone and I can’t help but feel my last one or maybe two are going to shuffle quite a lot as they make tries to dethrone one another.