This book, published in 1998, is a modern collection of over 1200 pages of
poetry and songs, ancient and modern, in English
and in English translation from many languages. The
poetry is divided by time period and language, and covers poetry from Ancient Egypt, Israel, China and Sumeria to modern North America and Europe (although no poets after World War II are included here). There are religious hymns and poems, love songs, death hymns, war songs and poetry, mystical and practical songs, poems found on shards of pottery, and poems printed on modern printing presses--poems recited for centuries and those meant primarily to be read silently and alone.
The main purpose of this
anthology, and the main criterion for inclusion in this book, is to surprise and delight the reader. A secondary criterion was that the poems not be easily found elsewhere. The beauty of some of these obscure poems is extraordinary. The actual sources of the poems are given in a bibliography in the back of the book. There are extensive indexes by author and/or translator, and another index by titles.
This book is a wonder and an inspiration. It can be read straight through; it can be dipped into randomly; it can be used to compare and contrast the poetry of different civilizations and time periods; it can be used to follow the influences of one culture upon another, opening windows on the pages of history that one might never see otherwise. Most of all, it can be enjoyed.