However, some classic works and collections are often considered essential for understanding poetry, or for their own literary significance. Here are some examples categorized by different aspects:
Classics of Western Literature:
* The Odyssey and The Iliad by Homer: Epic poems that are foundational to Western literature.
* The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri: A long poem exploring Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell.
* Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes: A novel often considered a poetic work for its language and structure.
* The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer: A collection of stories told by pilgrims on their journey to Canterbury.
* Sonnets by William Shakespeare: A collection of 154 sonnets, exploring themes of love, beauty, and mortality.
* Paradise Lost by John Milton: An epic poem about the Fall of Man.
* The Romantic Poets: Works by William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron.
* The Modernist Poets: Works by T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, W.B. Yeats, and Sylvia Plath.
Collections and Anthologies:
* The Norton Anthology of Poetry: A comprehensive anthology spanning centuries and cultures.
* The Penguin Book of English Verse: A popular anthology of British poetry.
* The Oxford Book of American Poetry: A collection of American poetry from colonial times to the present.
* The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson: A collection of the poems of this celebrated American poet.
* Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman: A collection of poems celebrating American life and democracy.
Contemporary Poetry:
* The Wild Fox of Yemen by Threa Almontaser: A contemporary collection exploring themes of identity and belonging.
* The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot: A modernist poem that reflects the disillusionment of the post-World War I era.
* The Love Poems of Rumi: A collection of love poems by the famous Persian poet and mystic.
Important Note: This is just a small selection of influential works. There are many other great poets and poetry collections that deserve recognition.
To discover your own favorites, explore different genres, time periods, and cultures. You can also look for awards such as the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry or the Nobel Prize in Literature, which often highlight exceptional works.