Personal wellbeing > Poetry

New Zealand Society of Authors Jessie McKay Best First Book Award for Poetry Winner A first collection of poetry by Auckland poet Sam Sampson. Sampson has an ear for the lilting phrase, and his poems have a gentle ebb and flow, which is often echoed visually by the way the poems are laid out upon the page. Though experimental in form, Sampson's poems are also grounded in his environment, often the West Coast of Auckland where he grew up. Karekare, the Manukau Harbour and the Waitakere Ranges all feature, but in poems that reach ... read more

A poem is an opening line plus work. My forte is the opening line but I toil too. I bang my brain upon the page, read through as far as I have got again and again . . (

This stunning gift collection that celebrates the riches of a lifetime with poems and writings to mark each of the major milestones -- childhood, young adulthood, falling in love, family life, growing older and death.

Jackie Kay's new collection is a lyric counterpart to her memoir, "Red Dust Road", the extraordinary story of the search for her Nigerian and Highland birth-parents; but it is also a moving book in its own right, and a deep enquiry into all forms of human friendship. "Fiere" - Scots for 'companion, friend, equal' - is a vivid description of the many paths our lives take, and of how those journeys are made meaningful by our companions on the road: lovers, friends, parents, children, mentors - as well as all the remarkable and chance... read more

Includes all poems from collections and broadsheets, of James K. Baxter (1926-1972), a complex and gifted poet at the forefront of his generation. The poems are carefully edited, with brief textual notes where necessary, and are arranged in chronological order of composition. The publication date of each poem is given, along with a full bibliography of Baxter's verse.

Chosen by Ginsberg himself from nearly fifty years of experimental, groundbreaking verse, this selection, in his words, 'summarizes what I deem most honest, most penetrant of my writing', and includes lesser known and later works which go beyond his iconic 'Beat Generation' image. Presented chronologically, and ranging from early works such as "Paterson" (1949) to selections from "White Shroud" (1980-85) and "Cosmopolitan Greetings" (1986-92), and including the classic poems "Howl" (1955-56) and "Kaddish" (1959-60) as well as songs... read more

A New York Review Books Original "A master anthology of Russia's most important poetry, newly collected and never before published in English" In the years before the 1917 Russian Revolution, the Stray Dog cabaret in St. Petersburg was the haunt of poets, artists, and musicians, a place to meet, drink, read, brawl, celebrate, and stage performances of all kinds. It has since become a symbol of the extraordinary literary ferment of that time. It was then that Alexander Blok composed his apocalyptic sequence "Twelve"; that the futuri... read more

Hyphens used throughout, reflecting Dickinson's style Unpublished in her lifetime, Emily Dickinson's intensely personal lyrics have much been admired since her death. This is a collection of her work.

Coleridge's celebrated poem was written at the suggestion of William Wordsworth in the early days of their friendship, and published for the first time in 1798. It is the story of a nightmare voyage to the South Pole told by the sole survivor, the bright-eyed ancient mariner whose wanton killing of an albatross, a bird of good omen, brought misfortune on the ship and all its crew. Coleridge's own commentary on the dateful drama, written some years later at a time of renewed religious feeling, is printed alongside the poem. The poem... read more

The poet A. B. 'Banjo' Paterson, best known for his rousing folk classics The Man from Snowy River and Waltzing Matilda, is widely acknowledged as Australia's greatest and most popular balladist. His poems, written with great gusto and humour, celebrate all the romance and rough-and-tumble of old Australia. In this collection, leading Paterson scholar Clement Semmler presents more than 100 of Paterson's poems that reflect the remarkable richness and range of his writings. Generously illustrated with period drawings, this first Peng... read more

Review Quotes: "A magnificent anthology. I can't think of any other that casts its net so widely, or one that has introduced me to so many vivid and memorable poems." "These are poems that hunt you down with the solace of their recognition. Has there ever been such a passionate anthology?" "These poems distill the human heart as nothing else. Staying Alive celebrates the point of poetry. It's invigorating and makes me proud of being human." Assembling a diverse mix of contemporary poets---Mary Oliver, W.H. Auden, Maya ... read more

The "Trouble with Poetry" is the new collection from probably the most popular poet in the entire planet, and finds everyone's favourite contemporary Pre-Socratic in as funny and wise (and sometimes joyfully silly) form as ever. Billy Collins's tone is inimitable. Drawled and knowing, yet without a hint of world-weariness or cynicism, he fearlessly addresses the reader as friend and intimate - and comrade, inviting them to square up to the various collective crises of the bald ape in the 21st century. Collins remains the only poet ... read more

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Right from the beginning, Ted Hughes (1930-98) wrote in a way that set him apart from his contemporaries, as Simon Armitage puts it in his introduction. By the time he published his final collection, "Birthday Letters" in 1998, he had become a colossus on the literary landscape. Other volumes in this series include: "Auden", "Betjemen", "Eliot", "Plath", and "Yeats".

W. B. Yeats (1865-1939) was not only Ireland's greatest poet but one of the most influential voices in world literature in the twentieth century. His extraordinary work, in the words of this volume's editor Seamus Heaney, encourages us to be more resolutely and abundantly alive, whatever the conditions. Other volumes in this series include: "Auden", "Betjemen", "Eliot", "Hughes", and "Plath".

Love, poetry and romantic prose extracts are enduring favourites. Many classic poems and stories revolve around this theme in its many facets, including humorous poems. This anthology should appeal to teenagers'"romantic streak", while adults enjoy the classic content. Ages 14+.

This book includes an introduction by director Jane Campion. John Keats died in penury and relative obscurity in 1821, aged only 26. He is now seen as one of the greatest English poets and a genius of the Romantic age. This collection, which contains all his most memorable works and a selection of his letters, is a feast for the senses, displaying Keats' gift for gorgeous imagery and sensuous language, his passionate devotion to beauty, as well as some of the most moving love poetry ever written.

"The quality here is head and shoulders above most young writers' collections, and in fact it's well above many adult anthologies as well."-- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review) The poets are straight, gay, lesbian, bi, or transgender. They live next door or across an ocean; they are innocent or experienced; their lyric explorations range from new love to stale love, obsession to ennui, ecstasy to heartbreak, and every nuance in between. Whether the romantic escapades described are touching, comical, or tra... read more

We are on the cusp of a reading revolution. Increasingly, research is uncovering an intimate connection between reading and wellbeing. The seemingly simple act of being read to brings remarkable health and happiness benefits. It stimulates thought and memory, encourages the sharing of ideas and feelings, hopes and fears. It enriches our lives and minds. This unique book offers a selection of prose and poetry especially suitable for reading aloud - to your husband or wife, a sick parent or child, an elderly relative. With short intr... read more

'And when Love speaks, the voice of all the gods Makes heaven drowsy with harmony' "Love's Labour's Lost," William Shakespeare. "When Love Speaks" brings together the greatest writing on love and commitment - from Donne to Cole Porter, Sappho to P.G. Wodehouse, love letters of the great composers to Edwardian marriage advice. These poems and passages capture high romance and everyday happiness, feverish first love and tender union. This joyful anthology provides a range of unique and inspiring readings for a wedding or civil ceremo... read more