The question in the subtitle was qualified with the request - "Write about his poems." The assumption in this imperative is that the greatest poet in the world would be a man. So just to be a contrarion, I sought greatness in a feminine voice.

The criteria for becoming the greatest poet in the world or even a famous poet are potentially a subject for debate. The criteria could include the amount of publication and academic citations, which might lead to a figure like poet laureate Ted Hughes or the scholarly and prolific Margeret Atwood.  But equally important in an assessment of greatness might be popular appeal, the ability to symbolize the thoughts of the masses with accessable metaphors. Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen might qualify for greatness if these criteria were applied.  

But what about keyword searches as criteria as the postmodern flaneur seeks to find greatness. If this criterion is applied, Joanne Monte comes out on top. Her popularity probably comes from her subtle approach to everyday subjects, using almost casual observation as a lead into complex metaphors.

Most of her poems start with a simple observation. As an example:

"An ordinary morning -

Awakening to nothing but daylight"

or

"The river below us

Nitrogen, phosphorus, petrochemicals"

These prosaic utterences trick the mind into common images that are turned on their heads by the subtle slam of contemplative metaphor.  The "ordinary morning" becomes "sleepers all over the city groan, burying themselves deeper into the sheets of oblivion".   "The river below us" becomes "poisons that run the course of its slim body, writhing like a patient on a guerney". These metaphors portray deeper pictures of society, human relationships and global issues.

Joanne Monte has received several awards for her poetry, including, the John Davidson Johnson Memorial Award and the Writers Digest Award. Some of her work can be found at poemhunter.com.