I'm not what you'd call well-read when it comes to poetry. But I do
have my favorites, those being Stephen Dunn, a living breathing poet
from New Jersey, and W.H. Auden, sadly deceased, who was English and
considered by many to be the greatest poet of the 20th century. I also
like some classics. Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg. And
an amazing woman named Susan Stewart. You can read some of my poems, or you can read some of theirs.
Why does everyone on the
web seem to be a lover of poetry? Well, perhaps in the real world
poetry is more popular than many would like to admit. It is instantly
universal and personalizable in the same breath. Perhaps its appeal
lies in the fact that anyone can write a poem. You don't need any
specialized equipment. It's an inexpensive hobby. And as far as hobbies
go, there aren't many of those left these days. I mean really, who
wants to weave a fucking basket? Basket weavers everywhere, I welcome
your comments. Lastly, you don't need to be cultured or intellectual or
have a "proper" upbringing to enjoy reading and writing poems. Anyone
can do it. Anyone.