Poems that Make Grown Women Cry ed. by Anthony and Ben Holden (2016)

A collection of emotion-provoking poems selected by 100 notable women.

Poetry Review:  Diversity, a hundred separate vantage points, is the strength of this excellent book. Poems that Make Grown Women Cry, edited by Anthony and Ben Holden, is a fine collection of poems, selected by 100 women: writers, actors, critics, musicians, filmmakers, activists, from 23 nationalities, with ages ranging from 20-something to 90-something. This diverse company of women, not just the usual academics, has created a selection of poems from 18 countries, written from the 8th Century to 2014, some unknown, some by names such as Rumi, Byron, Dickinson, Eliot, Bishop, Plath, Duffy.

The actor and comedian Miranda Hart notes that she is not well versed in poetry, but hopes that "this anthology proves a lovely starting point for others in the same boat." The great variety of Poems that Make Grown Women Cry makes it the perfect vehicle for someone beginning to read and sample poetry. Find an artist you know, Judi Dench, Helen MacDonald, Emily Mortimer, Joan Baez, Elena Ferrante, Carol Ann Duffy, Annie Lennox, Ursula K. LeGuin, Edna O'Brien, Nikki Giovanni, Joss Stone, Antonia Fraser, Joyce Carol Oates, many others (sorry, no Kardashians). See if their choice resonates with you. I found a wonderful, powerful poem, new to me, "Medusa" by Louise Bogan, selected by American author Karen Joy Fowler. Julie Christie selected an old friend, one of my favorite poems, the astonishing "I Explain a Few Things" by Pablo Neruda. There is so much to treasure here, and so much treasure to be found here. A wonderful place to begin, or continue, reading poetry. The poems are presented in chronological order. There is also a companion volume to Poem that Make Grown Women Cry, from 2014, Poems that Make Grown Men Cry (includes Colin Firth). Both are for the benefit of Amnesty International, so if you buy you're also helping a good cause.

And although sadly it's not included here, the poem that makes me cry is "Death of a Son" by the English poet, Jon Silken. The most sorrowful poem ever written. [3.5 Stars]