Which Poets Have Inspired you?

[Loveabull]

Interesting, if you ask me face to face I would say I don't read poetry...gives me visions of seagulls and angst...I did however enjoy a course in college on 17th century bawdy poets. Or Gwendolyn Brooks, saw her speak a few months before she died in fact. She wrote gritty stuff- abortion, race relations, what it meant to be a woman...topics no one else wanted to touch back in the day. But today I sat down in the quiet bookstore with a collection of poems/lyrics by Leonard Cohen. I've heard him sing, loved Justin Timberlake's interpretation of "Hallelujah". But just read through a few pages...you know when a writer touches you? When what they've written speaks right to you? If you can picture LC now...or what he looked like THEN, MRRRRROOWWW...but now with the tilt of his hat and the wry smile, so comforting reading the words...like he's speaking to me " Hey I've been there and I lived through it...you will too." Thank you Leonard, thank you so much.

[suzy1124]

Leonard is one of my all time faves!...truly a renaissance man...have you ever seen his art work ?

i was fortunate enough to see this " 74 yo wonder in person during his world tour....not to mention he is the answer to the greatest trivia question:...." who's the only buddhist monk to ever have been inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame ?"

his zen name is " Jikan "... ( the silent one )

[Loveabull]

No I didn't know he did art too...I have to look that up. Wow that you saw him live...I didn't even try to get tickets, figured they'd be sold out the same day. Have you read "I'm Your Man"?

[suzy1124]

No, i haven't L.B. but i will...the song of the same name is one of my faves...pure poetry!...as is: " Dance me to the end of Love " , one of the best music videos ever made imo...

-- 05 Jul 2013, 07:45 --

"I'm Your Man"


If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner
Take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
I'm your man
If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver
Climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can
I'm your man

Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
Ah but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please
I'm your man

And if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand
I'm your man

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you

[Loveabull]

Mmmmmmwowwwwww that is AWESOME...absolutely incredible...

[Daffers]

Kipling always inspired me, in particular his war poetry and his early history of England. But "Merrow Down," written with his own daughter in mind after she died from a bout of 'flu at a young age, is my favourite - perhaps because I grew up in that area and remember playing in those bracken woods.

[Circling Turtle]

My angst filled teenage years instilled within me a love for the beautifully morbid poetry of Sylvia Plath (or perhaps she instilled within me a love for ansgt), which led to an exploration of the poetry of her husband Ted Hughes, which had a great effect on me.

T.S Eliot is still one of my favourite poets, as is Emily Dickinson. A more recent favourite is the delicately whimsical Nan Witcomb; I found her Thoughts of Nanushka in a friend's garage a few weeks back and it is my book for bathtime browsing.

There are many poems I have read that have made a deep impression on my psyche without me being aware of the poet's history or whether or not it is classified as "good poetry". In many ways Conor Oberst could be classified as my most inspirational poet as his ballads have nursed me through many an existential crisis and have been the driving force behind my own songwriting- the same can be said of Leonard Cohen, Jim Morrison and Nick Cave.

[Gilgamesh]

Yeah for Emily! Can't tell you how many times I have gone over her stuff. Another great favorite is Edna St. Vincent Millay, as profound, if more readable, than T. S. Elliot. Another great find is Charles Bukowski, especially for pilgrims on the dark side.

[Bexxa_p]

Robert Frost...

[lolafrancis]

I'm not sure whether to classify him as a poet or philosopher, but I would have to say Kahlil Gibran. He really helps me put life into perspective.

Thanks for the question!

Lola

[npandit]

I've found a few poems, rather than specific poets, to be particularly inspirational:

"Invictus" comes to mind instantly;
"The Guy in the Glass"

And then there is a poem I read recently by Alfred Lord Tennyson that begins "I wage not any feud with death", which I thought to be a very accurate, though sad poem about dealing with grief.

I also recently enjoyed Javed Akhtar's poetry in the movie "Zindagi na milegi dobara"; (they were in Hindi).

[Daffers]

Re: Which Poets Have Inspired you?
Post Number:#11 Unread postby npandit » Today, 18:00

I've found a few poems, rather than specific poets, to be particularly inspirational:

"Invictus" comes to mind instantly;

Yes, indeed. A neighbour was recently going through a really tough time and I printed that out and put it, with a covering note, through her door. She told me later how it had helped her to cry and then square her shoulders, and know inwardly that she'd get through it. It's a fantastic piece of work.

[vovolicious]

Maya Angelo is my favorite because of the way she describes her African American experiences through her poetry. It makes me appreciate diversity and inspires me.

[AutumnWind]

Definitely Pablo Neruda.

Even the translations of his poems are so hauntingly beautiful. He doesn't use heavy imagery and hifalutin words, but his poems strike deep. I recommend reading "Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines", and "If You Forget Me". Those are two of my favorites.

[smileeypattyy]

One that has really inspired me is Edgar Allen Poe <3