Each entry contains author biography (if attributed), poem text, poem summary, themes, style, historical context, critical overview, and criticism.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
At the bomb testing site / William Stafford -- Autumn begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio / James Wright -- Bedtime story / George MacBeth -- Beware of ruins / A. D. Hope -- The Constellation Orion / Ted Kooser -- A drink of water / Seamus Heaney -- Drought year / Judith Wright -- Ethics / Linda Pastan -- The force that through the green fuse drives the flower / Dylan Thomas -- Music lessons / Mary Oliver -- My life closed twice before its close / Emily Dickinson -- Names of horses / Donald Hall -- A red, red rose / Robert Burns -- The river-merchant's wife: A letter / Pound Ezra -- The seafarer / Anonymous -- Sonnet 29 / William Shakespeare -- Starlight / Philip Levine -- To a sad daughter / Michael Ondaatje -- Vancouver lights / Earle Birney -- Why I am not a painter / Frank O'Hara.