Who was the first poet from your homeland you discovered and how were you introd

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   LastRoseofSummer2posted 11 years ago

   Who was the first poet from your homeland you discovered and how were you introduced to him/her?
   
   I think Edgar Allan Poe was the first "native" poet I discovered. I was introduced to him by a typing course that made me type a part of "The Raven" over and over again. I later came across Poe again during a poor excuse of a High School English course. One of the few things I got out of this class was the experience of reading "Annabel Lee" for the first time. I now read quite a lot of poetry and Edgar Allan Poe is a favorite.
   
   I am an American. However, I am also of Polish descent and I would like some day to track down works from my family's homeland.
   
   Want to share your story?

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   Serendipity88posted 11 years ago

   Music had a major influence for me. I started discovering the poetry within the lyrics and that was how I became interested in poetry. I then started reading poetry written by Maya Angelou, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Emily Dickinson. Their poems are so passionate and are relevant to the real world. Great question!

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      LastRoseofSummer2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Music has been very important in my poetic journey as well. I listen to a lot of opera and this helped me become interested in European poets such as Pushkin, Goethe, and Heine.
      
      Thanks for your great answer!

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   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   The first poetry I ever read was the Complete Works of Robert Service. The book was my dad's and I found it on the book shelf. Robert Service continues to be my favorite all time poet.

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      LastRoseofSummer2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think I had ever heard of him. I just started looking up his works and I like what I'm seeing! Thanks for your answer and for the recommendation.

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   Chuck RitenouRposted 11 years ago

   I was introduced to H.W. Longfellow's The Children Hour while attending a three room country school that was located in Fort Valley, Virginia. I was in the sixth grade at that time. I had to memorize and recite it for the class. I did so well that I was asked to select a poem for the following day. My second selection was A Good Name by Shakespeare. I often use it as my "sound check" at my live performances.
   
   Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
   Is the immediate jewel of their souls:
   Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
   'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
   But he that filches from me my good name
   Robs me of that which not enriches him
   And makes me poor indeed.

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      LastRoseofSummer2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Beautiful!

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   chef-de-jourposted 11 years ago

   Robert Louis Stevenson - A Child's Garden - was one of the first books of poetry I read. I read this as a young child then later went on to his novels which were exciting and beautifully written. Anthologies were also a big favourite of mine. I discovered Shelley, Tennyson, Byron, Wordsworth and Shakespeare and many more!!! I love a good anthology.
   Now I have hundreds of poetry books!

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      LastRoseofSummer2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm the same way. One poetry book just leads to another and another and another!

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