American poetry

Colonial Era Poetry-
Poetry at this time was primarily metaphysical and devotional. Everything still strongly resembled English poetry, using their poetic modes and methods. The three most important poets were Puritans- Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, and Michael Wigglesworth. Bradstreet ranks as the author of the first book of American poetry: "The Tenth Muse, Lately Sprung up in America."

18th Century Poetry-
The 18th century saw an increasing emphasis on America itself as a fit subject matter for its poets. The development of poetry in the colonies mirrored the development of the colonies themselves. As the colonists became more confident, their poetry reflected their drive toward independence. There weren't any extremely significant or influential poets at this time.

19th Century Poetry-
Poetry in America started moving in fresh new directions. Poets strayed from the old English methods. Also known as the American Romantic movement, poets became more visionary and unconventional.

SIGNIFICANT 19TH CENTURY POETS

• Edgar Allen Poe
• The Fireside Poets*
• Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Walt Whitman
• Emily Dickinson

Modernist period-
Extending roughly from 1900 to 1945, it was perhaps the richest in American poetic history. Every poet wrote about different subjects, but the language was more vibrant, colorful, elegant and visionary. Important movements within this time period include the Imagist movement and the Harlem Renaissance.

SIGNIFICANT MODERNISTS

• Ezra Pound
• Robert Frost
• T.S Elliott
• Langston Hughes
• Marianne Moore

1950s to present-
Unlike the early twentieth century poets, post-1945 poetry was very cautious and conservative. In defiance of that formalist movement, there was a tremendous rise in poetry so varied in voice, theme and style as to defy easy catogorization. Many more cultures started expressing themselves through poetry at this time and many poets explored the possibilities of deep imagism, giving everyone an awareness of the inward of life.

SIGNIFICANT POST-MODERNIST POETS

• Allen Ginsberg
• Sylvia Plath
• James Wright
• Gwendolyn Brooks
• Frank O'Hara

"Some lose all mind and become soul, insane.
Some lose all soul and become mind, intellectual.
Some lose both and become accepted."
~Charles Bukowski