Question by Jaipur: What is a good book to read of metaphysical poetry for someone unfamiliar with the subject?
I am 15 and I highly enjoy writing poetry and I love reading metaphysical poetry online, but can someone suggest a book that is a collection of it that I could read? I want one that is from multiple authors if possible. Thank you in advance.
Best answer:
Answer by synopsis
These days there are lots of good anthologies of Metaphysical poetry around (the Penguin Book of Metaphysical poetry is one of my personal favourites), you can hardly go wrong.
But Metaphysical poetry was out of fashion in English for several centuries after Samuel Johnson’s dismissal of Donne and Cowley in his ‘Lives of the English Poets’.
The modern high respect for the Metaphysicals largely originates with Herbert Grierson’s early twentieth century anthology ‘Metaphysical Lyrics and Poems’.
If you love Metaphysical poetry you should read Grierson from cover to cover; especially since it is available online (you can also find print copies).
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[Edit]
You should also look over Aniina Jokkinen’s Luminarium site:- especially the Crashaw.
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