[Tzemach Aryeh]

I just started writing again, which means I need to start reading again. Unfortunately, I've been away quite a while, and it's hard to pick a direction when I don't even know what the landscape looks like.

So, what journals, books, criticism, etc. would you recommend?

[Matt Q]

Hi Tzemach,

Are you interested in any particular style/genre of poetry? The poetry landscape is fairly broad and varied. Or are you wanting to start with a completely blank slate and open to anything?

Matt

[Jayne Osborn]

Welcome back, Scott!

As Matt says, "The poetry landscape is fairly broad and varied..." so it's a bit tricky to advise you on what to read.

Why not take your time, browse some threads here, and see what appeals to you? Do you like humor? Take a peek on Drills & Amusements... Are you inclined towards Metrical...? ...or Free Verse?

Anyway, that would be a start. I'm sure others will suggest some reading material to you. Good luck with getting back into writing.

Jayne

[Tzemach Aryeh]

Apologies, I thought it went without saying, given this is Eratosphere. I am interested in formal poetry.

[Susan McLean]

If you like formal poetry, you might try reading A.E. Stallings, Rhina P. Espaillat, Dick Davis, Timothy Steele, Dana Gioia, Catherine Tufariello, R.S. Gwynn, Julie Kane, Gail White, Melissa Balmain, David Mason, Mark Jarman, Catherine Chandler, Allison Joseph, Amit Majmudar, Anna Evans, Deborah Warren, A.M. Juster, Richard Wakefield, Leslie Monsour, Juliana Gray. There are many others I could name, but if you do some online searches of these names, you will start to learn what is most to your own taste. If you enjoy light verse, look at the journals Light and Lighten Up Online.

Susan

[W T Clark]

I find it interesting that you posted almost the same question on two websites. Testing a wide audience, I guess. I'd still recommend the list I posted to pffa, no matter how correct Midge was when he called it nostalgic.

[Tzemach Aryeh]

@Susan: I do like light verse, and will definitely check out those two.

@W T: Yep, PFFA and here were the two most helpful forums a decade ago, so those were my starting points now. Unfortunately, PFFA doesn't look nearly as active anymore.

[W T Clark]

Yeah, I'm sure a lot of pffa members would be the first to say that the website is less active. But less-active does not mean non-active. There are still some talented poets and critiquers there, and your poetry would definitely get about 5 or 6 good critiques per thread.

[RCL]

If you want to read a wide variety of Sphere authors, this list of book publications is available:

https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showt...=books+members

It's some years out of date, but some writers are adding as new pubs occur.

[Jayne Osborn]

Scott,

Lots of useful advice, as predicted... Just don't get bogged down reading others' poems at the expense of penning some of your own!

Jayne