Wednesday 14 April 2010

Pomes Poems Peoms

I am going to read more poetry. If you use the Tube in London you'll be familiar with the Poems on the Underground series of posters that publish short poems or extracts from longer ones. I always make a point of reading them and sometimes I actually like what I read. I'm not a great fan of the form but I ought to read more.

Poetry, like everything else, goes through phases and fads and so does my taste. I remember being quite fond of Ted Hughes at school, graduating to Yeats and the Metaphysicals at university. I've had a small volume of Blake for years (I'm partial to Songs of Innocence and Experience) that I used to carry round to dip in and out of when the moment struck.

I suppose one of the problems with being an English graduate (and yes, the song, 'What do you do with a BA in English?' from Avenue Q could have been written for me) is that you dip into so many different forms, genres and eras over the years that I've probably read some of most of the most important poets, but only some. And dip in might mean read one poem. I never had any time for the Victorians until I read something by Tennyson without knowing it was by him and decided to revise my opinions. I got a volume of Tennyson at Christmas and I think it's time to indulge.

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