Believe it or not, people once read poetry for the sheer joy of it. With the right poets, it still may be done. For straightforward one goes to Tennyson, Poe, Wordsworth, for convoluted and lovely one strays into Eliot, Hopkins, Browning, Pound, and Arnold. And there are a great many contemporary poets well worth your attention.”

Steven Riddle, Flos Carmeli

For sheer joy in words, Poe or Emily Dickinson.

For sheer joy in ideas, Eliot or Matthew Arnold

For sheer joy in characterization, Frost or Browning.

For sheer joy in nature, Wordsworth, of course, or any of the other Romantics.

For the sheer joy of the Lord, King David (the Psalms) or George Herbert or John Donne.

ASCENSION by John Donne

Salute the last and everlasting day,
Joy at th’ uprising of this Sun, and Son,
Ye whose true tears, or tribulation
Have purely wash’d, or burnt your drossy clay.
Behold, the Highest, parting hence away,
Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon ;
Nor doth He by ascending show alone,
But first He, and He first enters the way.
O strong Ram, which hast batter’d heaven for me !
Mild Lamb, which with Thy Blood hast mark’d the path !
Bright Torch, which shinest, that I the way may see !
O, with Thy own Blood quench Thy own just wrath ;
And if Thy Holy Spirit my Muse did raise,
Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise.

Poet of the Day: John Donne
Poetry activity for today: Put a poem in a letter or make your own poetry greeting cards.

Tomorrow May 1st, by the way, is Ascension Thursday.