Due to unforeseen circumstances (bit of an understatement but let's go with that) we did not get to talk about poet laureates in the course. Let me rectify that with one of my favorites, Carol Ann Duffy.
The year was 2017 and I was in London for the first time ever, marveling in the mouthwatering establishment that is Foyles Bookshop at Charing Cross Rd. To describe it as huge is an understatement, but perhaps the best description is that in spite of its enormity, it's cozy and welcoming. As one of their walls announces: "welcome book lover, you are among friends".
They also have the biggest poetry collection I have seen in any bookstore. So there I was, overwhelmed and excited and about to max-out my credit card, when I saw the staff recommendation for Feminine Gospels.
I saw that gorgeous cover and could not resist picking it up. I read one poem then and there, and was hooked. On the the tin, as you can see, says "poet laureate", and... that didn't mean anything to me because I did not know what that was (in case you don't know either). I have not read that much by her yet, but I look forward specially to picking up Off the Shelf.
In terms of recommendations, I'd like to steer you towards Rapture. Don't get me wrong, Feminine Gospels is great, but if you don't usually read poetry, Rapture might be a good option as it's structured as a loose narrative of starting-experiencing-ending a romantic relationship. The whole collection is intense and beautifully crafted, yet accessible and relatable for most—what better way to embark on your poetry journey with the subject of most people's angsty teen poems: heartbreak.
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