Friebert, Stuart, and David Young, eds., Longman Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, Pearson's Education, 1989.

A highly praised collection of some of the best poetry of the twentieth century. Included in this anthology are well-written introductions to each poet and his or her work.

Gibbons, Reginald, The Poet's Work: 29 Poets on the Origin and Practice of Their Art, University of Chicago Press, 1989.

Reading poetry provides one kind of satisfaction, but the depth of how one reads poetry can sometimes be enhanced by understanding the process that a poet goes through to create the poetic lyrics. This book offers readers a look into that process.

Hugo, Richard, The Triggering Town: Lectures and Essays on Poetry and Writing, W. W. Norton, 1992.

This has been called one of the freshest collections of essays ever written on poetry. Using humor and good sense, Hugo claims that while he may not be...