The Nation's Favourite Poems Books
In a nationwide poll to discover Britain''s favourite poem, Rudyard Kipling''s ''If...'' was voted number one. This unique anthology brings together the results of the poll in a collection of the nation''s 100 best loved poems. Among the selection are popular classics such as Tennyson''s ''The Lady of Shallott'' and Wordsworth''s ''The Daffodils'' alongside contemporary poetry such as Allan Ahlberg''s ''Please Mrs Butler'' and Jenny Joseph''s ''Warning''. Also included is the poignant ''Do not Stand at my Grave and Weep''.
A selection of 100 popular love poems, based on a nation-wide poll. They include John Donne's "The Good-Morrow", Shakespeare's sonnet "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?", Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress", and Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "How Do I Love Thee?".
This wonderful anthology contains some of the nation's all-time favourite comic poetry. From much-loved classics such as Lewis Carroll's curious 'Jabberwocky' to lesser known and forgotten gems such as Gelett Burgess's 'The Purple Cow', Griff Rhys Jones takes us on a poetic tour of witty, nonsensical and plain laugh-out-loud funny poems. The selection brings together poets from every age and every walk of life, from Shakespeare to Victoria Wood and from Keats to Benjamin Zephaniah. There is Roald Dahl's cunning variation on 'Little Red Riding Hood', Spike Milligan's brilliantly ridiculous 'On the Ning Nang Nong' as well as several entries from the ever-elusive Anon, including one delightfully succint 'Peas'. Remembered, half-remembered, cherished or written on a tea towel, here are some of the nation's favourite comic poems.
More than any other topic, animals have provided the inspiration for poets throughout the ages. Whether it's marvelling at the beauty of birdsong on a winters day in The Song Thrush by Thomas Hardy or DH Lawrence ranting at a troublesome insect in Mosquito there are many great works dealing with the beauty of animals, the way man and animal work together or simply wcndering at the beauty and dedication of a loved pet. The Nation's Favourite Animal Poems will provide valuable, humorous and emotional insights into the relationship between humans and animals.
This collection brings together the most beloved children's poems. Poems such as "The Owl and the Pussycat" to "Us Two" and "Chocolate Cake" should amuse and delight children and adults alike. The collection includes the modern and the classics, from A.A. Milne to Pam Ayres.
Not Marble, nor the gilded monuments Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme; But you shall shine more bright in these contents Than unswept stone, besmeared with sluttish time. When wasteful war shall statues overturn And broils root out the work of masonry, Nor Mars his sword, nor wars quick fire shall burn The living record of your memory: Gainst death and all oblivious enmity, Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room Even in the eyes of all posterity That wear this world out to the ending doom. So till the judgement that yourself arise, You live in this, and dwell in lovers eyes. Shakespeare, Sonnet 55 From Shakespeare to W.H Auden and Michael Rosen, poets have written moving and inspiring poems to honour and remember loved ones, while in response to war, the poetry of Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen has become among many others emblematic of an age and has helped us to understand the horror of war and remember those who died. In this 12th collection in the Nations Favourite series over 100 poems by Britains best-loved poets are brought together on the theme of remembrance to offer solace, scope for reflection and inspiration.
From the pleasure of escaping our daily lives and finding laughter, to musing on what makes the world go round and finding solace, poets of all ages have helped us find a way there. In 1996, "BBC Bookworm" held a poll to find 100 of the nation's best-loved poems. They were published in the "Nation's Favourite Poems" and featured classics, including Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" and Wordsworth's "The Daffodils", alongside popular contemporary poems, such as Jenny Joseph's "Warning" and W.H Auden's "Stop All the Clocks". This collection continues to delight and move us with its eclectic mix of favourite poems. Yet, while it contains so many of our best-loved poems, there are a wealth of outstanding poems across the ages that we were unable to include in the collection. To celebrate the richness of poetry in our lives, "BBC Books" is holding another poll to find more of the nation's favourite poems. Perhaps the anthology will include Byron's poignant, "So we'll go no more a roving", other outstanding pieces by Auden, Lawrence, Wordsworth and Shakespeare or Edwin Muir's "The Confirmation". The anthology will be published this autumn. In June, the nation will be able to have its say.