Inspired and inspirational, worldly wise, deeply felt, and often delightfully funny-here in one compact volume are 100 of the greatest poems written in English over the last century, memorable masterpieces that everyone should know and enjoy. Selected and introduced by Joseph Parisi, former longtime editor of Poetry magazine, this brilliant collection brings together the greatest poems by all the classic authors, along with the choicest works by today's most accomplished artists in America and abroad. From W. H. Auden and T. S. Eliot to John Ashbery and A. R. Ammons; Elizabeth Bishop and Marianne Moore to Sylvia Plath and Mary Oliver; Robert Frost and W. B. Yeats to Allen Ginsberg and Thom Gunn, this comprehensive anthology features the poems that have best expressed the spirit of our times and helped create modern culture. In addition to such ground-breaking works as "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and "Howl," Mr. Parisi has included the incisive social satire and whimsical wordplay of such wits as Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, and Frank O'Hara. Among contemporary poets in the book are Seamus Heaney, Jane Kenyon, Rita Dove, Sharon Olds, Paul Muldoon, Adrienne Rich, and the redoubtable Billy Collins, all of whom have already achieved wide popular acclaim for poems that speak compellingly about modern life and the perennial concerns of the human heart. Mr. Parisi provides a general introduction to the book and introduces each poem with a brief biographical and critical note. For anyone who wishes to discover or to re-experience the most important and vital poems of our time, 100 Essential Modern Poems is, quite simply, indispensable. Adult/High School–Parisi's purpose was to give adults who are overwhelmed by the amount of poetry available today a good starting point, but high school literature students will also benefit from this title. His criteria for the selections were: modern, meaningful, and memorable. The poets range from William Butler Yeats to Rita Dove. Each of the 70 individuals whose work is represented receives a short, readable introduction that includes pertinent biographical information, a description of the poet's place in modern literary history, and an analysis of the writer's style. One to three representative poems follow each entry. One drawback of the book is its arrangement: the entries run from page to page without a break. However, the content is so readable and the table of contents so clear that this is minor. The work is meant to be a small companion, a desert island collection. As such it will be useful to those new to the genre, as well as to readers looking for a single portable volume.– Sheila Janega, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Parisi served as editor of Poetry magazine from 1983 to 2003, and he has edited two invaluable anthologies that chronicle the little magazine's big influence: Dear Editor: A History of Poetry in Letters (2002) and The Poetry Anthology, 1912-2002. Reflecting now on the bewildering abundance of contemporary poetry and on how difficult it is for the common reader to know where to begin, Parisi, like Mark Strand and Robert Pinsky, has put together a recommended collection. In an introduction that will lift the spirit of every poetry lover who believes in a populist approach, Parisi explains why he created this "desert island" gathering of "indispensables" and how he was guided by "the three Ms," selecting poems that are modern, meaningful, and memorable. Preceded by wonderfully conversational and expertly appreciative biocritical essays about each poet, his choices are superb as he lingers over Yeats and Stevens and includes often-overlooked witty and satirical poets, among them Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, Kay Ryan, Frank O'Hara, and Billy Collins. Donna Seaman Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Useful to those new to the genre, as well as to readers looking for a single portable volume.” ―Sheila Janega, School Library Journal “Invaluable....generous in its selection of poems and extraordinarily generous in providing the information necessary to enter the world of those poems.” ―James Matthew Wilson, Contemporary Poetry Review “The most valuable aspect is the brief biographical essay on each poet, information helpful in teaching.” ― The Bloomsbury Review “A 'go with me' guide to make it easier to approach the vast poetry shelves in your favorite bookstore.” ―Christopher Flannery, Claremont Review of Books “In this rich book, Joseph Parisi shows once and for all that modern poetry is not an obscure byway or a specialized discipline, but the latest chapter in poetry's ancient quest to delight and instruct. Every reader will find poems here to learn and to love.” ―Adam Kirsch “A recommended collection.” ―Donna Seaman, Booklist “This volume should wind up being used in the very classrooms where appre