I stopped reading these every day and couldn't bring myself to come back to it, deciding to dedicate that time towards reading more contemporary poetry collections instead. Started with this because I'm not a poetry person and I wanted to try and see if that was just lack of exposure or if it's just not for me. A rather nice reading experience with some classic and some new pieces that help the reader progress through a year and that give you something relatively short to read before going to bed every night. Turns out it isn’t for me, I can’t seem to “get” the poems, it doesn’t make sense to me, and maybe that’s the point of poetry, but I didn’t enjoy it. I hope that there is a poem here for everyone – something for every night and every mood and every person, whose lines never leave you but remain inside the private library of your brain, and whose beauty you feel as Wordsworth did: along the heart.

I thought that was an easier and more clear way of showing what this book has to offer than cramming all into one review. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. It took me nearly four years to finish, occasionally reading some poems, but I loved this volume and will be looking for something similar to read in the future. Most of those written down date from the 16th, 17th and, most frequently, the 18th centuries: a mixture of advisory tales for children, popular ballads, political songs and sometimes bawdy little numbers.Miraculously, these poems see James writing with his insight and energy not only undiminished but positively charged by his situation: Sentenced to Liferepresents a career high point from one of the greatest literary intelligences of the age. There were both really well-known poems and poems by newer/lesser known poets, which provided a good mix. Some, such as that for Against Idleness and Mischief, page 114, This is just to say, page 204, The Eagle, page 216, and The Listeners, page 292, are just crass, whereas a few others are genuinely helpful: Einstein's Brain, page 243, A Poison Tree, page 299, and Tichborne's Elegy, page 360.

I am unsure as to how far the book is one that children, rather than teachers, will want to browse through.But because my enjoyment of the poems varied greatly, I preferred reading a few days’ worth of poetry at a time rather than ever find myself stuck with one poem that didn’t interest me. Or for everyday if you would rather read your poetry and perfect for reading aloud and sharing with all the family. However, the little description for each day was great, whether it be to explain the poem selection or the date significance. And there are poems on certain dates that tell us about the traditions of other cultures and religions. There's also an excellent extract from Shakespeare's The Tempest, which in itself is a play of pure poetry.