i love poetry and emily is a fav, hope is my fav,typing is bad, right hand surgery a few days ago lol

No.

Oh yes! I learned to love poetry as a child, thanks to my beloved Dad who would read and/or recite poetry to us at bedtimes, on long car rides, and other quiet times. He knew countless poems by heart and we asked for them by name.

We studied lots of poetry in high school, which was when I was introduced to the Greek epics and Shakespearean sonnets. In college, I took courses in poetry....to the point where my parents feared that I might try to major in the subject, lol!

Little children love poetry, the cadence of a good voice reciting the rhythm of a poetic story.

Yes, indeed! But I like the "old stuff." In fact I'm putting "Complete Works of Shakespeare" on my Christmas list. I have" Complete Longfellow" on my bookshelf.

Guess I am too dense to understand some of the new poetry.

Not a real fan, but sometimes don't mind it either. Songs are poetry set to music... at least the good ones are.

Yes. Robert Louis Stevenson "The Land of Counterpane" is a favorite, as are several you mentioned in your post.

Yes, Dickinson and Frost are special favorites. I so love Frost's "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "The Road Not Taken" and Dickinson's "It Dropped So Low in My Regard".

Idstarr and sweet _betsy got here before I did. RLS's "A Child's Garden of Verses" being the first book I ever owned. Dickinson and Frost came a little later; I can't even remember how often I've read "Stopping by Woods." Once In a writing class, "The Road Not Taken." was my topic for a writing to be read to the class. And then on to Shakespeare. I can still remember: All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; Sounds real to me, how about you?

How grand that some have shared their favorites. Seniorgal I also like the "old favorites" and am trying to learn and understand more of Shakespeare's through a computer course. Sue_va - yes, so real and so true...we are merely players. And I can still repeat with gestures my first Children's Day poem when I was a very wee one. Maybe that did it for me.

This time of year, I like to get out "Snowbound" by John Greenleaf Whittier. If you have ever been snowed in, it will bring back memories.

NO

I really don't. The only poet I could ever relate to was Dorothy Parker.

Well, I'm not bashful, and we are all friends here, so I'm going to tell you about one time I should have kept my mouth shut. I had an appointment with a new to me dentist. I had taken an Xray of my mouth with me so he could get a good idea of what he would be working with. I handed it to him, and he immediately put it up on a screen so he could see it real good. You have to use your imagination here; think about what that might look like. I had never seen it on a screen before and without even thinking, I said: "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him!" Immediately the dentist said, "Oh, you like Shakespeare?" I said I do, and he immediately invited to take me to our local Shakespeare Black Friars Playhouse production. Yikes!!! I had never seen the man before. "Well, uh, no thanks but thank you anyway." And I left the office, and realized much later that I had left the Xray there! Some times a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Yes, and I write poetry as well. After a hiatus of several years, during which time I concentrated on more lucrative genres, I was one of 11 poets invited to contribute to a book published this fall by a college press. We've done several readings, and it feels good to be back in the poetry scene again.

Unlike most of you, I relate better to more contemporary poets. Most of my favorites are very much alive.

Cacocobird, for a time in high school I carried around The Portable Dorothy Parker wherever I went. :-)

This time of year, I love to read A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas. So many incredible images he paints with words.

One Christmas was so much like another, in those years around the sea-town corner now and out of all sound except the distant speaking of the voices I sometimes hear a moment before sleep, that I can never remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights when I was twelve or whether it snowed for twelve days and twelve nights when I was six.

For still there are so many things

That I have never seen:

In every wood in every spring

There is a different green.

J.R.R.Tolkien

My late FIL and MIL both loved poetry. We have a book they romantically marked with their favorites to each other, back in their courting days. FIL's family left us several old "pocket" books of poems that great-great-grandparents carried about to read in spare moments. But me personally, I can't say I especially like poetry in general.

Robert Service.

Tree at my window, window tree...

This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines and the hemlocks...

I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree...

Yes, especially the old ones.

kentrees12 - you hit my spot. I love trees ... in poetry and have photographs and painting on my walls. Who wrote "Tree at my window, window tree ..."

Robert Frost.

Who reads the works of Billy Collins and finds him as amazing as do I?

Love Billy Collins. He's brilliant, and so entertaining. I had the pleasure of hanging out with him at the Dodge Poetry Festival in 2000 and 2002. So much fun.

Lucky you Alisande. Understand and appreciate Billy Collins far more than Pablo Neruda who tends to make work out of it for me.

I agree! :-)

Well, "kinda-sorta". I haven't sought out any poetry to read since high school, I guess. But way back when, I did enjoy some periodically. I even dabbled in writing some when I was in my teens. Even now, there are occasions when a few lines will pop into my mind totally unbidden, usually related to whatever I am doing or whatever might be going on in my life at the time.

Several years ago, shortly after I had joined Gardenweb, I wrote one of those 'gems' into a post on the cooking forum, which was the main forum I read at the time. There was a lot of snarky comments going on there at the time, seemed like too many of the posters only wanted to insult each other. Well, it was close to Halloween, and after reading several more really rude comments, a short verse involving "witches and warlocks" popped into my head, so I put it in a post, mainly intending it as a joke and a subtle hint. While some posters 'got it', and got a kick out of it, some were insulted, and some complained. So I got an email from whoever was in charge at the time, warning me against any future posts of that type.

I memorized "The Night Before Christmas" when I was in the 3rd grade (I think) and recited it both at the school Christmas program, and in the Christmas program at church. I can still recite it by heart.

Rusty

He's a poet,

but don't know it.

His feet show it.

They're Longfellows.

__________________

The other version:

He's a poet,

but don't know it.

His feet show it,

They stink.

Jemdandy- lol!

This thread is far from new, but I've just enjoyed re-reading it. Can someone chime in who has not posted before? Please.

I love poetry, with the pictures they paint in my mind.

I think a lot of people confuse poetry and rhymes.

One of the best poems I've ever read:

http://one.jacarpress.com/#Gerry%20LaFemina 

Imstillchloecat, I assume the poem you like is "Kind of Blue"? I like it too, and I also like how he chose the title, working in Miles Davis' famous album.

One of my favorites is Gerald Stern's "Behaving Like a Jew," which reflects how I often feel about roadkill. I had the pleasure of hearing him read it in person, but it can be heard online too:

http://poemsoutloud.net/audio/archive/stern_reads_three_poems/

I love poetry. Like mentioned above, Robert Frost is also a favorite,

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."

I keep a copy of Leaves of Grass by Whitman in my car to read when I have to sit and wait for someone or something.

Alisande, yes - it's the "Kind of Blue" poem. I hope my link went directly to that poem, of all the ones on that page. :)

The link went to the top of the page for me. But since the link contained Gerry LaFemina's name, I figured it out. :-)

He's a poet,

and don't know it

But his feet show it,

They're Longfellows.

The other version:

He's a poet,

and don't know it

But his feet show it,

They stink.

I enjoy works by Frederick Ogden Nash.

One for your grandchild:

Once there was a robin

Lived outside the door

Wanted to go inside

And hop upon the floor.

"Oh No" said the mommy

You must stay with me

Little birds are safest

Sitting in a tree.

"I don't care" said Robin

And gave his tale a fling

"I don't think the old folks

Know quite everything."

So down he flew

And kitty seized him

Before he had time to blink.

"Oh" he said "I'm sorry

But I did not think!"

Here's one that I love..

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Maya Angelou

I love novels in verse.

One of my favorites .....

The Little Ghost

I knew her for a little ghost

That in my garden walked;

The wall is high - higher than most-

And the green gate was locked.

And yet I did not think of that

Till after she was gone -

I knew her by the broad white hat,

All ruffled she had on.

By the dear ruffles round her feet,

By her small hands that hung

In their lace mitts, austere and sweet,

Her gown's white folds among.

I watched to see if she would stay,

What she would do - and oh!

She looked as if she liked the way

I let my garden grow!

She bent above my favourite mint

With conscious garden grace,

She smiled and smiled - there was no hint

Of sadness in her face.

She held her gown on either side

To let her slippers show,

And up the walk she want with pride,

The way great ladies go.

And where the wall is built in new

And is of ivy bare

She paused - then opened and passed through

A gate that once was there.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Typo. Sorry. "And up the walk she went with pride,"