Heralded by Ralph Waldo Emerson as “the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed,” Leaves of Grass forever changed the landscape of American poetry. Originally published as only twelve poems in 1855, the poignant collection now includes such time-honored works as “Song of Myself,” “I Sing the Body Electric,” and “O Captain! My Captain!” Celebrate the “barbaric yawp” of this genius poet....

This collection redefines the great canon of American poetry from its origins in the 17th century right up to the present. It features the work of more than 200 poets, almost three times as many as the 1976 edition. The book includes not only writers born since the previous edition, but also many fine poets overlooked in earlier editions or little known in the past but highly deserving of attention. Many more women and African-American poets are represented,...

A collection of poems acts as a whimsical instruction manual to feats both practical and fanciful, including how to mix a pancake, how to make a snow angel, how to be a mole, and how to build a poem.