A wise, absorbing, and surprising introduction to poetry written in
English, from one of England's leading poets
James Fenton is that rare scholar "not ashamed to admit that he
mostly reads for pleasure" (Charles Simic, "The New York Review of
Books"). In this eminently readable guide to his abiding passion,
he has distilled the essense of a library's--and a
lifetime's--worth of delight.
The pleasures of his own verse can be found in abundance here:
economy, a natural ease, and most of all, surprise. What is English
poetry? Fenton argues that it includes any recited words in English
that marshall rhythm for their meaning--among them prisoners's work
songs, Broadway show tunes, and the cries of street vendors
captured in verse. From these beginnings, Fenton describes the
rudiments of--and, most important, the inspiration for--the musical
verse we find in books, and concludes with an illuminating
discussion of operas and songs. Fenton illustrates his comments
with verse from all over the English-speaking world.
Catholic in his taste, shrewd in his distinctions, and charmingly
frank, Fenton is an ideal guide to everything to do with poetry,
from the temperament of poets to their accomplishment, in all its
variety. In all his writing, prose or verse, Fenton has always had
the virtue of saying, in a way that seems effortless, precisely
what lies at the heart of the matter. In this vein, "An
Introduction to English Poetry" is one of his highest
accomplishments.
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