Reflections at Walden includes Thoreau?s account of how he lived and what he learned during his two years at Walden. We can profit from some of his discoveries: ?In proportion as [a man] simplifies his life,? writes Thoreau, ?the laws of the universe will appear less complex.? Later he says, ?There can be no very black melancholy to him who lives in the midst of nature." These principles governed Thoreau's life. And in all the writings included...

This volume presents an exploration of poetry and feeling, introducing poems selected by the author as emblematic because they suggest something crucial about the nature of poetry itself, and offering his insights on how the poems should be read. In this guide, the author reaches out to all those who may be disaffected by the mere mention of poetry and instructs the reader to focus on a personal, emotional response.

Thirteen poems that joyfully celebrate the beloved members of our family who bark, purr, chitter, and slither--our pets.

Contemporary American poetry has plenty to offer new readers, and plenty more for those who already follow it. Yet its difficulty--and sheer variety--leaves many readers puzzled or overwhelmed. The critic, scholar, and poet Stephen Burt sets out to help.Beginning in the early 1980s where critical consensus ends, Burt canvasses American poetry of the past four decades, from the headline making urgency of Claudia Rankine's Citizen to the stark pathos...