Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry

I have found that the first time through I probably enjoyed 1% and then I put it away and go back every week or maybe month and look at some of those I didn't think too much of the first time and I always seem to find 1-2 that I have a new appreciation for. Maybe me just not interested in the subject or not reading it such that I didn't understand the first time.

"Poetry 180" is similar to Garrison Keillor's "Good Poems" series. It's a collection of contemporary poems that are all pretty good. Collins, a well-known poet, edited this anthology. And like any anthology, there were some poems that resonated with me while others did not. William Matthews "The Accompanist" was probably my favorite. This poem was atmospheric and a tad erotic. "Did I Miss Anything" by Tom Wayman told the story of students and teacher in a classroom as the point of view bounced between each. "Old Men Playing Basketball" by B.H. Fairchild tells a wonderful story about memory and graceful aging. "Plague Victims Catapulted Over Walls into Besieged City" by Thomas Lux was horrific but nonetheless captivating and memorable. There were also some clinkers. "Where is She?" by Peter Cherches was silly and juvenile; almost as if he had written it on the subway. "White Towels" by Richard Jones was also silly and somewhat inane. "Killing the Animals" was needlessly gruesome and not pleasant at all. This is a pretty good collection of contemporary poems. Recommended as an easy entrance into the poetry genre.

I enjoyed the poems in this book very much. It is impossible to pick a favorite, because I loved them all. I really enjoy reading poems about different human experiences. Poetry 180 is filled with almost every human emotion. I loved the poem entitled Love Poem 1990. It is about a man falling in love at different stages in his life from childhood to old age and how he feels about it. Another one of my favorite poems is entitled May. It is about the painful experience of putting a dog to sleep. The Green One Over There is a wonderful but sad poem about the relationship between a sister and a brother. I could really relate to the way siblings compete as described in this poem. The subject matter of the poems in this book are diverse. I never knew a subject could evoke such emotion. One of these poems is entitled What Would I Do. It is an insightful poem about what a husband would do if his wife cheated on him. The Quest is a excellent poem about a mother's fear that her daughter will be hurt and the extent she would take to protect her.I was drawn to some of these poems because of the title. I loved the titles Vegetarian Physics, The Poem of Chalk, 1-800 Hot Ribs, and The Grammar Lesson. These are humorous and descriptive poems I could read over and over just for a laugh. My appreciation for poetry has increased so much. I loved this book.

I homeschool my daughter. We love the concept of this book. Reading poetry brings to mind hours of dissecting lines, trying to pull out meaning. This book says ‘Wait. Just read. Enjoy.’ There are no tests, no grades, no discussions (unless she wants to). Just the love of poetry. Allowing the words to speak to us instead of approaching the reading like learning a foreign language.Thank you!

In this anthology, edited by former poet laureate Billy Collins, we see many styles of poems. I originally purchased this book for a college poetry writing course but I found the poems pleasurable to read on my own time, not just to read for critical analysis. Collins' intro contains some insights as to how a poem forms for a writer and also a good story about a poetry reading. The anthology features many contemporary writers and the poems range in length and subject matter. If you are looking for a good poetry anthology to learn to read and/or write poetry, I heartily recommend this book. I think readers of any ages will enjoy it.

USA Poet Laureate Billy Collins selected these poems by a variety of poets to post on-line, one a day for the 180 day school year. The idea was to put up poems to hook high schoolers on poetry. These are non-flowery, down to earth, slice of life poems, many with a wry sense of humor about everyday life. They are all accessable for high school and adult readers. I read one at my son's wedding; it was great to find a poem that was both hearfelt and humorous, and other guests complemented my choice, "Littany."

Adelighfully varied collection of poems from a wide range of authors. Open to any page and start discovering their words and worlds.

My husband and I share poetry each evening after dinner for about 15 minutes before we turn on the television. This book is great because each poem gives us pause as we consider the author and also the meaning. Then we get on to the language and they way things are said. Every day a different group of poets! What's not to love?

He's a wonderful rumoured chap.

A wonderful "go to" book for accessible, well-crafted poems by a variety of authors. Excellent resource book for teaching poetry.

Clearly I had set the bar too high. Not complaining but disappointed