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A review by aurorabear
Poems That Make Grown Women Cry by Anthony Holden, Ben Holden
4.0
This book has been an enjoyable part of my year. I forced myself to take my time, reading one poem a day at most and sitting with it.
Did I like every poem? No, and that isn’t the point. I experienced poetry and poets that I wouldn’t have found on my own, and the short essays from accomplished women recommending each poem provided another layer of meaning, another frame through which to experience them.
I reencountered some favorite poets (William Shakespeare, John Keats, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, Elizabeth Bishop) but better yet I was moved by new-to-me poets (Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali, Susanna Tomalin, Douglas Dunn, Imtiaz Dharker, Katha Pollitt, Warsan Shire). I look forward to reading their poetry in more depth and am grateful for the experience I had with their words this year.
Did I like every poem? No, and that isn’t the point. I experienced poetry and poets that I wouldn’t have found on my own, and the short essays from accomplished women recommending each poem provided another layer of meaning, another frame through which to experience them.
I reencountered some favorite poets (William Shakespeare, John Keats, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, Elizabeth Bishop) but better yet I was moved by new-to-me poets (Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali, Susanna Tomalin, Douglas Dunn, Imtiaz Dharker, Katha Pollitt, Warsan Shire). I look forward to reading their poetry in more depth and am grateful for the experience I had with their words this year.