www.livingpoetssociety.com

Often when we think of poetry, we think of verses written by people long ago. However, poetry is alive and well in our world today and as proof, here are the five most popular contemporary poets.

Elizabeth Alexander
A scholar of African-American literature, Alexander is most well known for her book of poems entitled “American Sublime” that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2005.

Charles Simic
Though first published in 1967, this Serbian-American poet has had a definitive impact on contemporary poetry especially while serving as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

Gary Soto
Raised in California by his poor, immigrant mother, Soto is able to draw on his life of hardship and the lives of others to create poems that both accurately and beautifully reflect the lives of the Mexican-American community.

Nikki Giovanni
While much of Giovanni’s poetry centers around racial pride and making a difference in the world, respect and family relationships are also driving forces in her work.

Billy Collins
With all of the awards and distinctions given to Collins throughout his career, it is no wonder that the New York Times refers to him as “The most popular poet in America.”

Comments are closed.