The Dead Poets Cemetery
by Chloe Whincup
When we think of the ‘greats’ when it comes to poetry, often we can’t help to think of Plath, Wordsworth and Frost. They’re icons amongst their peers and in general culture, with Frost being the only poet to ever win four Pulitzer Prizes. Of course, they are great poets; the impact they’ve made is undeniable and felt across literature and even wider media. Sylvia Plath is viewed as almost a deity by online communities, especially those that consider themselves ‘thought daughters’. However, these monoliths of prose often overshadow other phenomenal writers especially those who were unfavoured by society at the time of their writing due to racism or homophobia but who never allowed these prejudices to keep them down and became some of the most important voices of their eras. Many of these poets have been rediscovered and reclaimed by the younger generations as a guiding light in uncertain times.
Here lies the great poets, and my personal favourites, I implore you to explore their works and go down the rabbit hole of poetry and prose:
Audre Lorde (1934 - 1992)
A self described "Black, lesbian, feminist, socialist, mother, warrior, poet", Lorde is best known for her soulful poetry and powerful activism. Both her poetry and prose focused heavily on civil rights, the lesbian identity and the difficulties of the black female experience in such tumultuous times. Born to immigrant parents in 1930’s New York, Lorde struggled with colourism and feelings of being an outcast; exacerbated by her queerness and her nearsightedness that rendered her legally blind. Due to her eyesight, Lorde enjoyed listening to stories, such as her mothers tales from her homeland, rather than reading them. This influenced renowned works such as "Story Books on a Kitchen Table" from her 1976 collection, ‘Coal’.
Lorde and her works have made huge impacts on lesbian society and culture, influencing the ‘womanist’ movement; a breakaway movement of feminism, formed due to the rising racial stereotypes in the wider feminist movement. Lorde never let anyone dull her spark or diminish her accomplishments, she especially did not let her fellow black women be erased and this steadfastness is just one of many qualities that led her to becoming such an influence and inspiration to so many.
“for those of us who cannot indulge
the passing dreams of choice,
who love in doorways coming and going
in the hours between dawns,
looking inward and outward
at once before and after”
A Litany For Survival
Richard Siken (1967 - )
Siken is an American painter, poet and the only living writer to be featured in this article. He currently resides in Tucson, Arizona. He first gained international recognition with his 2005 collection, ‘Crush’ which won the 2004 Yale Younger Poets prize; a brave depiction of the trials and tribulations of a young, gay man who is torn between his inner emotions and his external circumstances. Siken's work strikes a particular chord with audiences as he faces heartbreak and grief head on; he is not afraid to bare his wounds in the most beautiful of ways. He is also well loved for his Twitter replies, lending kind advice to hurting hearts or blunt honesty to those who need it.
Readers of Siken describe feeling both crushed and liberated in the same instance by his work, reflecting the very nature of his poems and the way that Siken explores juxtaposing emotions such as terror and love, grief and adoration, revealing how they are different sides of the same coin. It’s Siken's ability to wrench emotions from his readers that makes him one of the great poets of our time. In the far future, we will look back on Siken with a similar admiration and regard for Whitman and Keats.
“We know how the light works,
we know where the sound is coming from.
Verse. Chorus. Verse.
I’m sorry. We know how it works. The world is no longer mysterious.”
Dirty Valentine
James Baldwin (1924 - 1987)
Best known for his acclaimed novel ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain’, Baldwin is a highly acclaimed writer, poet and civil rights activist. He was a hugely influential figure of the civil rights movement whose work still influences both filmmakers and writers today; the 2016 documentary ‘I Am Not Your Negro’ was based on the unfinished manuscript of ‘Remember this House’ a memoir recounting his experiences with civil rights leaders such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. This won the BAFTA award for Best Documentary.
His works featured themes such as the experiences of masculinity as a black man in America, the interactions of race and sexuality and class during times of turmoil. Baldwin was also a public figure of the gay liberation movement and was openly queer. Baldwin's brilliance shines through in all of his works, his balance of nuance and complexities is displayed through his exploration of identity, uncovering what it is to live a ‘caged identity’ and the tensions that arise. His true talent lies in the way that he writes honesty, and the way that the words catch the reader by the throat, bold and unflinching.
“My days are not their days.
My ways are not their ways.
I would not think of them,
one way or the other,
did not they so grotesquely
block the view
between me and my brother.”
Swaggerlee Wonders
Mary Oliver (1935 - 2019)
The current darling of literature TikTok, Mary Oliver's hopeful and mindful prose continues to warm the hearts of many. Oliver began writing poetry at 14 but was only first published at 28. Her works often featured themes of nostalgia for both her hometown in Ohio and her residence in New England, specifically Provincetown. Her love of the natural world and wildlife is evident throughout her work, as she was an avid walker who brought her notebook everywhere with her. Her work often juxtaposes self doubt or scrutiny with freedom and forgiveness; using allegories or imagery of nature to illustrate her messages. Oliver rarely gave interviews as she stated her preference for privacy but did confirm her favourite poets were Walt Whitman, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Rumi.
Many overlook Oliver as middlebrow or entry-level; many of her works aren’t truly taken seriously by critics, her commercial success seems to discount her from the respect of her more academic peers. Oliver does not aim to grab the reader like some of the poets featured on this list, instead she aims to soothe, her strength is in her softness and her appeal lies in her lack of ego.
“You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.”
Wild Geese
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 - 2000)
Brooks was an American author, teacher and poet; winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950 for her poem, ‘Annie Allen’ making her the first African American to win a Pulitzer. A lifelong Chicago resident, her works frequently spoke of her love for the community of the city; whether it was the plights or prosperity of those around her. Her art was a conscious love letter to her surroundings, regardless of reciprocation. She began writing poetry at a young age and was first published in ‘American Childhood’ at just age 13. By the time she was in college, she had already published many poems and was regularly featured in the ‘Chicago Defender’.
She began teaching at the University of Chicago which ignited her love of teaching writing and poetry which she continued around the country at universities such as Elmhurst College and Columbia. Brooks was well loved amongst her peers and literary icons such as Langston Hughes and Richard Wright who encouraged her to pursue further publication. She consistently explored the intersections of womanhood and race and what it was to be an aspirational black woman in Chicago facing classism and racism at every turn and never losing an ounce of ambition along the way.
“What shall I give my children? who are poor,
Who are adjudged the leastwise of the land,
Who are my sweetest lepers, who demand
No velvet and no velvety velour;
But who have begged me for a brisk contour,
Crying that they are quasi, contraband”
The Children of the Poor
Whilst these poets are some of my personal favourite poets, many of these artists are also advocates and activists. They used their voices to advocate for those being oppressed by society and whose voices have historically been disregarded due to their creed, sexuality and race. In a time of rising fascism, a cost of living crisis and hostility, their works become all the more relevant again. Let these poets be an emblem of hope that we have been through hard times before and survived strong; we will do so again. Let them inspire you to create your own pieces and share them with others, not forgetting your own voice and the community that surrounds you.