Modern poetry

Simon armitage, without a shadow of a doubt. read CloudCuckooLand and die happy.

modern poetry began and died with hopkins. thank you

No it didn't. Thank YOU.

i can recommend tom leonard - a glasgow poet who writes in dialect, difficult at first glance but incredibly brilliant.

The Penguin Book of Contemporary British Poetry is a good starting point (even though it's from 1982!). The Forward poetry prize foundation has recently released its selection of the best poetry of the year for 2002; they have done it each year for quite a while now and the back issues might be interesting reading (I think Forward are planning to release a selection of the best poems of the decade very soon - should be a very handy guide to getting into contemporary poetry). Both the North and the Rialto are good magazine barometers of poetry too.

OOOH!! *rubbing hands in glee* Brian Patten (in fact ALL the Liverpool poets, still modern) Vicki Feaver Carol Ann Duffy Eaven Boland...... thats for starters..... Fish?

and Sharon Olds......Liz Lochead....... lm on a roll now....

and Sharon Olds......Liz Lochead....... lm on a roll now....

Oops

A bit less rolling, Liana, methinks... Can't suggest anything, as I'm a 'poetry moron'. Even I've heard of CAD, though...

Ta Liana....I will search them out tomorrow!!! I will let you know how I get on! As for the fat fingers thing, I have managed to do that three times in the last few days.....I reckon its the web page, not us!!! (thats my story anyway!)

Go buy Brian Patten's "Love Poems" It should be in everyones collection - I've lost count of the amount of people I have recommended this to. It's simply beautiful, I go back to it again and again and again. Not one bit of slush in it, just astute observations, and intense and beautifully descriptive words of love and pain. It's fab....

As any old-timers will know, Wendy Cope is one of my all time faves - highly recommended (going to see her for the first time at Cheltenham Festival of Literature - woo-hoo!) There's also a great book 'The Virago Book of Wicked Verse' that has loads of fantastic poems in it (Liana, if you haven't read it, I'm pretty sure you'll love it)

Thank you for your suggestions, I only hope my local village book shop has them! If not, I will have to roam Derby to find them...... Am I the only one sad enough to still be up at this time of night??? sleep eludes me (as usual)

I read some wendy cope for the first time this week. excellent. might buy some now. *looks for space on bookshelf* ahh..... there's a gap just before gibbons and mcgough. ~damn these platform heels I keep falling over~

selima hill ... u a fanthorpe ... margaret atwood ... simon armitage ... carol ann duffy ... jackie kay ... ian mcmillan ...

"Excellent!" Thank you all....