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jonnyfox's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this collection and the stories as to why they're so special to people added real context.
beth_books_123's review against another edition
4.0
Poetry is meant to be felt - 4*
I never used to appreciate poetry. My state education unfortunately sucked most of my love and enjoyment for poetry as I was taught (and perhaps trained) to focus on the literary elements: the metaphors, the imagery and the context of the poem. Although these elements may be important, I never thought it was, I only learnt to read poems looking for extended metaphors and alliteration. I forgot what emotion and feelings meant in a poem; I forget the true beauty of poetry.
Flash forward to the age of fourteen and the first time I read Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen. Luckily, I did not study this poem and I am so thankful that I didn't. Otherwise I would have been working out the rhyme scheme rather than actually reading the words and understand Owens' words. I had previously read The Soldier by Robert Brooke and despite my patriotism (long live the queen etc.), this poem made me hate the propaganda forced on young men during WW1. Then I read Dulce Et Decorum Est which portrayed the brutalities of war and finally portrayed a picture that represented the true war. For this I was grateful but also very emotional because this scene portrayed probably wasn't the first and last horrific scene of the great war.
This book highlights the connections and emotions men have felt to poetry. However, don't be afraid women, we can cry too. The beauty of this book is the contributors foreword before each poem and how this affected them. Some of them the forewords made me choked up before I had even read the poem because poems can be uplifting of heartbreaking - for me there's no in-between.
So introducing my favourite poems in this anthology. The poems that moved me:
- Love after Love by Derek Walcott
This one made me cry. Not just because of its contributor (Tom Hiddleston - who I admire greatly) but because of the simplicity of the poem. You are enough and in a world where I probably doubt myself so many times during important periods in my life, this poem reminds you (and me) that you're enough.
-Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen - my first connection in poetry, one that I will never ever forget.If you haven't read it, please do, it is such an eye opener to the real life of the war.
-Remember by Christina Rossetti
Ithaka by Constantine P. Cavafy
A fantastic must-read.
I never used to appreciate poetry. My state education unfortunately sucked most of my love and enjoyment for poetry as I was taught (and perhaps trained) to focus on the literary elements: the metaphors, the imagery and the context of the poem. Although these elements may be important, I never thought it was, I only learnt to read poems looking for extended metaphors and alliteration. I forgot what emotion and feelings meant in a poem; I forget the true beauty of poetry.
Flash forward to the age of fourteen and the first time I read Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen. Luckily, I did not study this poem and I am so thankful that I didn't. Otherwise I would have been working out the rhyme scheme rather than actually reading the words and understand Owens' words. I had previously read The Soldier by Robert Brooke and despite my patriotism (long live the queen etc.), this poem made me hate the propaganda forced on young men during WW1. Then I read Dulce Et Decorum Est which portrayed the brutalities of war and finally portrayed a picture that represented the true war. For this I was grateful but also very emotional because this scene portrayed probably wasn't the first and last horrific scene of the great war.
This book highlights the connections and emotions men have felt to poetry. However, don't be afraid women, we can cry too. The beauty of this book is the contributors foreword before each poem and how this affected them. Some of them the forewords made me choked up before I had even read the poem because poems can be uplifting of heartbreaking - for me there's no in-between.
So introducing my favourite poems in this anthology. The poems that moved me:
- Love after Love by Derek Walcott
This one made me cry. Not just because of its contributor (Tom Hiddleston - who I admire greatly) but because of the simplicity of the poem. You are enough and in a world where I probably doubt myself so many times during important periods in my life, this poem reminds you (and me) that you're enough.
-Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen - my first connection in poetry, one that I will never ever forget.If you haven't read it, please do, it is such an eye opener to the real life of the war.
-Remember by Christina Rossetti
Ithaka by Constantine P. Cavafy
A fantastic must-read.
beth_books_123's review
4.0
A beautiful 4*
I've just reread my review [b:Poems That Make Grown Men Cry: 100 Men on the Words That Move Them|18144035|Poems That Make Grown Men Cry 100 Men on the Words That Move Them|Anthony Holden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398190492l/18144035._SY75_.jpg|25491362] and that review contains my true feelings and emotions towards poetry. I am not going to repeat that here but those thoughts are still true. I read this book's predecessor eight years ago and I still believe in the power of poetry. I'm still not a huge poetry reader; I will try and be better.
I love how Holden edits this anthology and the reasoning of the selection is given prior to reading the poem. It really helps understanding the context before reading. My favourite from the collection is [b:I Am|54941387|I Am|John Clare|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|85715049].
A must read for all.
I've just reread my review [b:Poems That Make Grown Men Cry: 100 Men on the Words That Move Them|18144035|Poems That Make Grown Men Cry 100 Men on the Words That Move Them|Anthony Holden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398190492l/18144035._SY75_.jpg|25491362] and that review contains my true feelings and emotions towards poetry. I am not going to repeat that here but those thoughts are still true. I read this book's predecessor eight years ago and I still believe in the power of poetry. I'm still not a huge poetry reader; I will try and be better.
I love how Holden edits this anthology and the reasoning of the selection is given prior to reading the poem. It really helps understanding the context before reading. My favourite from the collection is [b:I Am|54941387|I Am|John Clare|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|85715049].
A must read for all.
chillvamp's review
1.0
I wasn't expecting to cry, but I did expect to find some moving pieces here. Not for me, sadly. First two thirds need the dust off -- nothing from the last 20 years until the very last third of the book. A lot of poems about war and death and oh, the love of men! Can't relate. Also, could we as a society please stop jerking off to literature about war, nazis and the Holocaust, please and thank you? There were a few good poems (Neruda, Plath...) but other than that I skimmed a lot. Bleh.
carolynaugustyn's review
3.0
Admittedly, I'm not a huge poetry fan. I'm trying to be better and get into it but I'm not at the point where I ~*~get~*~ it, or whatever. I figured this would be a good book to try and find new poets to enjoy and get a feel for different types of poetry styles. And this definitely was a very interesting and well put together book- different contributors with completely different tastes in poems, all emotionally driven. I never actually cried but there were a few poems that felt like a delightful punch to the stomach. One of my favorite poems was included and reading the contributor's introduction to the poem was so similar to my experience with the poem, it's a really nice feeling when it feels like someone understands you. Overall, a great anthology of poetry from all different styles, eras, and countries. I'm still not completely sold on poetry yet but I did find a few poems to save and tuck away to revisit again in the future.
thejenjineer's review against another edition
4.0
I was wondering, going into this book, which of the poems would make me cry. It was the shortest and the (deceptively) simplest poem that did it. Hokku by Fukuda Chiyo-ni. Exactly seven words, I counted. Then I read it again after I finished the whole volume. Cried again.
The poet was a mother who lost her young son. She wrote:
"Dragonfly catcher,
Where today
have you gone?"
And it just broke my heart.
The poet was a mother who lost her young son. She wrote:
"Dragonfly catcher,
Where today
have you gone?"
And it just broke my heart.
readbycoco_yt's review
I probably didn't like this because I actually don't enjoy really complex poetry. Im sure these poems are great, but the older poems made no sense to me and instead of feeling like I was enjoying them I felt like I was just trying to understand them and TRYING to enjoy them. Just not for me.
fionab_16's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0