Guy Lochhead, 17/03/12
A 1982 anthology of poetry compiled by two of the most well-respected modern UK poets, Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes. [From Amazon] “Conceived of as a collection of the editors’ own favourite poems, The Rattle Bag has established itself as the classic anthology of our time. Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes have brought together an inspired and diverse selection, ranging from undisputed masterpieces to rare discoveries, as well as drawing upon works in translation and traditional poems from oral cultures.” Including poetry isn’t a priority of mine, but it would be silly to ignore it. This is a great collection that takes a very broad view of what great poetry is, disregarding any of the posturing nonsense associated with the art. I like the fact that the curators have not hidden the fact that appreciation is subjective, have invested themselves in the project and have had a chance to show appreciation to their influences and new poets they enjoy. I like the diversity. I like that so many people like it.