English Poetry

The sonnets are a collection numbering 154 poems dealing with themes such as the passage of time, love, beauty, and mortality. They were probably written over a long period of Shakespeare's life up until 1609, when they were first printed. The first 17 poems, traditionally referred to as the "procreation sonnets", are addressed to a young man urging him to marry and have children in order to immortalize his beauty by passing it on to his descendants.

This anthology has been in the making for some years in the mind of the editor, Dione Venables, founding member of The Orwell Society. In 2006 she contributed the postscript to her cousin Jacintha Buddicom's memoir about the childhood and early youth of George Orwell. She continues to work for greater clarity and appreciation of the great man's genius and felt that this emotional layer of perception had been largely ignored by academia.

The Tao Te Ching (or Daodejing, in pinyin) is a classic Chinese Taoist text dating from at least the fourth century BC. According to tradition it has its origins even earlier, around the sixth century BC. The title may be translated as Instruction Regarding the Way of Virtue. Consisting of 81 short sections in a poetic style, the text ranges widely in content, from practical advice to universal wisdom, embracing politics, society and the personal.

For the first time ever, 75 beloved songs from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and The Children's Corner are collected in this charming treasury, sure to be cherished by generations of children as well as the millions of adults who grew up with Mister Rogers. The audiobook includes the iconic song "Won't You Be My Neighbor", music and lyrics by Fred Rogers.

A memoir in verse Errol Hess, the son of a West Virginia factory worker, moved 300 miles south in the early 1970s to begin farming with his new wife. Together, they raised tobacco (to sell), vegetables (to eat), and a crop of healthy children. Like many members of the back-to-the-land movement, the family fled the poverty of small-holding and returned to town a dozen years later. But their lives and the farms soil were both left a little richer for their time spent listening to the land.

Chris McAlister is currently one of the most prominent ambassadors of Shiatsu and the Asian way of life in the West. In this comprehensive and easy-to-digest book, he takes the listener on a journey right into the heart of Oriental medicine and how it overlaps with modern Western science and philosophy. The author’s profound knowledge and experience are conveyed by stories peppered with personal experiences, case studies and anecdotes. Sometimes poetic and sometimes straight from the heart, he explains how energy manifests itself.

I want you to know that I see you. I want you to know that even if no one else does, even if you are a ghost in this bookshop, or just the static floating across the screen of your computer, wherever you’re reading this, I see you. I see you in the dark and I see you in the grey. I see you as a story, as words I have spoken or may yet speak. Maybe only in a memory or a dream. I see your hands and your arms and your body and your legs and your face and I see what you have been and what you will be.

Kabir, meaning "Great" and one of the 99 names of God in Arabic, was a mystic and poet, born around 1440 in Varanasi to poor Muslim parents. Another account claims he was the child of a Brahmin widow. He himself said he was "at once the child of Allah and Ram". Kabir grew up learning his father’s craft of weaving and overcame many obstacles to become a disciple of Saint, or Swami, Ramananda, the leading pioneer of the Bhakti movement, which promoted salvation for all.

A wonderful selection of Yeats' finest work, read by the author himself along with Siobhan McKenna and others.

From inspirational Poet & Voice Artist Ashley Lord (@loveashleylord) this beautiful collection of poetry takes you on a peaceful and inspiring journey beyond the mind, diving you deep into a relaxed and peaceful state with her ethereal poetic narration. Through a soft and graceful lens she invites you into a beautiful, powerful world of healing, spirituality & self-love. Perfect for anyone who wants to relax the mind and soften anxiety & overwhelm, her work is particularly healing for those navigating a challenging time in their life.

Renowned healer and thought leader Jamie Wozny models vulnerability as she opens up her heart to listeners in her beautiful collection of poetry dedicated to the journey of being a healer and lightworker. Throughout her celebrated career, Jamie has touched the lives of many through energy healing, activations, and an empathetic understanding of the sometimes difficult path of being a sensitive soul on Earth. This personally selected collection of poems helps listeners activate part of their souls and remember how powerful we are when we go deep within ourselves.

Through rendering of Rumi’s poems and stories, Coleman Barks has established himself as perhaps the leading voice for Rumi’s work. His warm and sensitive reading combines with the world-renowned musicianship of Hamza El Din and Steve Coughlin to create an enthralling listening experience.

New York Times best-selling author Maci Bookout shares a bold and authentic collection of poems exploring her inner life as a young mother, wife, and woman. In this eclectic collection of free verse, Maci Bookout lays bare the pain of past heartbreak, while revealing the strength of womanhood and the power to be found in the truth. Taking cues from the style of Rupi Kaur and Charly Cox, Maci’s poetry tells a picturesque tale that weaves through her life thus far, from the emotional collapse of past relationships to the serenity and fortitude she found within herself.

Sometimes only a poem will do. These poetic prescriptions and wise words of advice are tailored to those moments in life when we need them most, from general glumness to news overload, and from infatuation to losing the spark. Whatever you’re facing, there is a poem here that will do the trick. This pocket-size companion presents the most essential fixes in William Sieghart’s poetic dispensary - those that, again and again, have shown themselves to hit the spot.

The "Aeneid" is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of 9,896 lines in dactylic hexameter. The first six of the poem's 12 books tell the story of Aeneas's wanderings from Troy to Italy, and the poem's second half tells of the Trojans' ultimately victorious war upon the Latins, under whose name Aeneas and his Trojan followers are destined to be subsumed.

Phil Kaye’s debut collection is a stunning tribute to growing up, and all of the challenges and celebrations of the passing of time, as jagged as it may be. Kaye takes the listener on a journey from a complex but iridescent childhood, drawing them into adolescence, and finally on to adulthood. There are first kisses, lost friendships, hair blowing in the wind while driving the vastness of an empty road, and the author in the middle, trying to make sense of it all. Date & Time is a welcoming story, which freezes the calendar and allows us all to live in our best moments.

Blythe Baird’s If My Body Could Speak is a celebration of girlhood and all of its struggles and triumphs. In poems that dig deep into sexuality, acceptance of the body, survival of trauma, and learning to love yourself in spite of everything telling you not to, Baird’s voice is a rich addition to her generation. Searing, soaring, and heartbreaking, If My Body Could Speak balances the softness of femininity with the sharpness that girls are forced to become.

A collection of the greatest poetry from the Romantic period, the battlefield and the Victorian era, read by some of the 20th century’s most renowned actors. Themes of war, love, nature, sexuality and much more are played out in these timeless readings of poetry from the 19th and 20th century.

Richard Burton, the multi-award winning actor reads the finest work of John Donne.

In this deeply honest and often hilarious collection, anxiety isn’t a villain to conquer—it’s a character we get to know, laugh with, and eventually walk beside. With 180 original rhyming poems, this book invites you into a journey of breath, bravery, and beautifully imperfect healing. Some poems will make you laugh out loud. Some will sit quietly beside you in your most anxious moments. All are written to remind you: You are not broken. You are becoming.