Celebrate World Poetry Day with 13 poets you should definitely read

Poetry is a beautiful literary form of expression that has the power to touch and caress the deepest core of one’s heart and soul. Not only does it have the power to express deep emotions with meaningful symbolisms, rhythmic verses and powerful imageries, but it can also communicate values, beliefs and ideas that have travelled through generations and different cultures. William Wordsworth had once defined poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” and up until today, poetry is seen as one of the best literary mediums to express oneself. It is true that one cannot imagine a world without poetry.

21st March is recognized by UNESCO as World Poetry Day, wherein all the poets in the world are celebrated and commemorated for their creative spirits and the ability to beautifully convey their messages through lyrical expression. On this special day, here are 13 outstanding poets you should definitely read:

Robert Frost, also known as the poet of sadness, was one of the most-renowned American poets of his time. The only winner of four Pulitzer Prizes, Frost’s poetry mainly deals with themes of isolation and alienation, depicting his deep understanding of the human nature and existence. Known for his beautiful and realistic depiction of rural life, some of his best poems include “Birches”, “The Road Not Taken”, “Mending Wall” and “Nothing Gold Can Stay”.

John Donne was an eminent scholar and poet of his time. One of the greatest representatives of the metaphysical age, his literary poems were known for their metaphorical references and sensual styles which included sonnets, love and religious poems, elegies and satires. Donne’s style of writing was famous for its abrupt openings and ironies. Some of his best works include “The Flea”, “The Good-Morrow” and “The Canonization”.

William Wordsworth was one the first English Romantic Poets, who along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge began the wave of Romanticism in English Literature with their joint publication “Lyrical Ballads”. A poet laureate, he is known for his themes of spiritual and epistemological connections between the humans and nature. He advocated using words and speeches in literature that were more accessible to the common man. Some of his most read poems include “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood”, “The Prelude” and “The Solitary Reaper”.

One of the most inspirational and acclaimed poets, author and activist, Maya Angelou is well-known for her generous contributions to the literary field. While her poems explore variety of themes including love, loss, gender, sexuality and racism, they have been referred to as anthems for African-American people. Often known as the “People’s poet” or “the black woman’s poet laureate”, some of her famous poems are “Phenomenal Woman”, “Alone” and “Still I Rise”.

Rabindranath Tagore is a world-renowned Indian poet and philosopher, who has inspired an entire generation of literature enthusiasts. A Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Tagore was also known by some as the ‘Bard of Bengal’ for his continuous efforts and contributions in reshaping Bengali literature and music. “Gitanjali”, Tagore’s anthology of poems is considered one of his most applauded masterpieces in the world of Indian literature.

A poet laureate Ireland of the Victorian era, Alfred Lord Tennyson was one of the three most famous living persons of his time. He was an official poetic spokesperson for the period of Queen Victoria’s reign and went on to receive much acclaim for his contributions to the poetic world. Most of his writings portrayed a deep sympathy towards the loss of a rural existence due to the coming of an industrial age. Therefore, most well-known works of Tennyson include “Ullysses”, “Break, Break, Break” and “Mariana”.

An American, Walt Whitman is considered one of the greatest literary poets in English language of his time. He is widely known for his epic collection of poetry “The leaves of Grass” published in 1855 and republished several times until his last publication that consisted of 400 poems that he cherished the most. He is also famously known for his poems such as “Song of Myself” and “I Sing the Body Electric”.

Sylvia Plath is one of the most cherished poets of the 20th Century. She died at a young age of 30, but was successful in creating a literary legacy that has inspired many young aspiring writers. She is credited with starting the literary genre of ‘confessional poetry’, which focuses on the emotional journey of the Self. Some of her best works include “Lady Lazarus”, “Daddy”, “The Moon and the Yew Tree” and “Morning Song”.

Suryakant Tripathi, better known by his pen name ‘Nirala’ was one of the most-acclaimed poet of the modern Hindi literature. Not only did he write in Hindi, he also mastered other languages such as Sanskrit, English and Bengali. Little-known to the English speaking world of poetry, Nirala majored the art of writing in the Hindi Literature with mastery of Khari Boli. Some of his most well-known works are “Dhwani”, “Geet Gunj” and “Janmabhumi”.

Nobel Prize winner for Literature, T S Eliot is one of the greatest poets of the modern literature. Known widely for his outstanding poems such as “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, “Gerontion” and “The Waste Land”, Eliot moved away from the traditional style of poetry writing and made his mark on the history of literature.

A German language poet, Rainer Maria Rilke was known for his lyrical intensity and the efforts he put in his poems. He broadened the realm of poetry by using new syntaxes and animal imageries. He is highly admired for his contributions to the German literature and best known for works like “The Gazelle”, “Childhood”, “Autumn Day”, “Duino Elegies” and “The Panther”.

Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet and politician, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. He was called “the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language” by Columbian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Neruda’s poems revolved around various themes. While some touched upon the erotic essence of love poems, others were either surrealistic poems or about history. His best poems include “Tonight I can write the saddest lines”, “If you forget me” and “I do not love you except because I love you”.

Nissim Ezekiel was an Indian Jewish poet, known to be one of the foundational figures of the postcolonial India’s literary history, particularly in the realm of Indian English writing. Winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Ezekiel is well known for his poetry collection “Latter-Day Psalms”. Ezekiel’s writings depicted a shift from the spiritual and oriental themes to everyday concerns of life. His best works of poetry include “Night of the Scorpion”, “Island” and “Minority Poem”.