:: Reading List -- Judy Kronenfeld
Poet, Creative Writing Professor at UC Riverside

Limiting myself to the mostly contemporary poets:

For extraordinarily rich language, sound and texture: Robert Wrigley.

Old-fashioned metrical poets who continue to please: Philip Larkin (even for his bitterness).

Robert Francis (at least in part for his sweetness).

Richard Wilbur (in spite of myself, at times, because he can be just too stiff).

Louise Bogan (for her lyricism and powerful restraint).

For the exalted (in addition to Charles Wright, say): Susan Mitchell.

For a "plain" style that astounds: Marie Howe, Mary Oliver (very different subjects!).

For managing the abstract and discursive so it has tenderness in it (to badly paraphrase one of his poems): Stephen Dunn.

For attention to the world, the political/personal world around us, for minute attention to consciousness, for his wonderful long line and ability (also) to handle the big subjects, and the abstractions, without leaving out "the spit and phlegm": C.K. Williams.

For the austere and powerful image in the Asian tradition: Jane Hirshfield.

For amazing power and stark truth (and the image!): Jack Gilbert.

For all-around humanity, sad humor and humorous sadness: Michael Ryan.

For a lifetime of unique and moving work in his own style, that student of melancholy: Donald Justice.

And there are so many more!

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Submitted August 2005