Poetry
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Poetry is literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its meaning, sound, and rhythm.
Locating Works of Poetry
You can browse poetry at any VPL location by heading straight to the following call numbers in the non-fiction section: 821 (English), 831 (German), 841 (French), 851 (Italian), 861 (Spanish), 871-874 (Latin), 881-884 (Classical Greek). For poems originally written in other languages or by authors hailing from other countries, it is best to search the catalogue directly.
If a specific copy of a poem is not available, remember it might be available in a collection or anthology. Here are some tips for locating poems in a collection or anthology:
- Perform a keyword search in our catalogue and enter the title and author of the poem.
- If you cannot find the poem in the library's catalogue, try using The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry to locate poems published in anthologies or collections.
- Try Google - some poems are available in digitized format.
- Gale Literary Index - A master index to the major literature products published by Gale. It combines and cross-references over 165,000 author names, including pseudonyms and variant names, and listings for over 215,000 titles into one source. Search by author for prime results.
Finding Literary Criticism
For major poets, such as Robert Burns or T.S. Eliot, the library may have books of criticism about their poems. Search for the poet's name in the catalogue by subject and add the phrase Criticism and Interpretation.
e.g. Robert Burns Criticism and Interpretation
If an entire book has been written about a poem, such as T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, you may find it at the library. Search for the poet's name in the catalogue by subject and include the title of the poem.
e.g. T.S. Eliot Waste Land
Key Reference Materials
Critical Survey of Poetry, 4th edition
809.1 C93ce3
2011
This 14-volume set features critical essays on 843 historical and present-day poets, 145 more than the previous edition.
Encyclopedia of American Poetry The Nineteenth Century
811.3 E56h
A powerful source of biographical and critical information about little-known poets from the 19th-century literary world, including African American, Native American, and women poets who represent a significant cultural and historical heritage.
Masterplots II: Poetry Series
809.1 M42m1
2002
This revised edition of Masterplots II: Poetry Series (1992) and its supplement (1998) contains 1,386 essays, 271 of which are new. No essays were repeated from the 12-volume Masterplots: Revised Second Edition (1996). The poems selected are those most often taught or featured in poetry anthologies. As in previous editions, the coverage is broad, with important poets of all historical periods and nationalities represented.
Poetry Criticism Excerpts From Criticism of the Works of the Most Significant and Widely Studied Poets of World Literature
809.105 P74
Each volume of this reference provides substantial critical essays and biographical information on four to eight major poets from all eras. Entries provide an introductory biographical sketch, an author portrait, a primary bibliography, annotated full text and excerpted criticism of the poets' works and sources for additional reading. note: available in print and electronic formats
Poetry for Students
809.105 P745
For each poem, students will discover: an overview essay on the poem; an analysis of the work's construction and form; an examination of key themes addressed in the poem; a discussion of the historical and cultural context in which the poem was composed; selected criticism on the poem or poet; a brief author biography; other features include a list of sources for further study and suggested research topics. note: available in print and electronic formats.
