Which major poet shall we read next?

A poll for you as Mark Wunderlich's class on Emily Dickinson wraps up.

The two poets Mark Wunderlich has demystified so far for us in book club: Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson. Who should be next? Artwork by Kathryn Rathke

As the Sylvia Plath class wrapped up last summer, we polled everyone in that club: Which major poet shall we read next?

The options we polled you on then were Emily Dickinson, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Walt Whitman. Dickinson was the crowd favorite. That’s how the Emily Dickinson Book Club came about.

As the Dickinson class winds down—our last meeting is this Thursday—Mark and I have started the same conversation we had last summer: Who’s next?

(Besides, of course, April Bernard’s class on Shakespeare’s sonnets this August.)

Rilke is a particular favorite of Mark’s, so Rilke is on the list again. We would read The Duino Elegies.

Walt Whitman, whom Mark has taught extensively at Bennington, is on the list again as well. We would read Leaves of Grass.

And we’re adding to the list, for the first time, Robert Frost. His final resting place—which has the words “I had a lover’s quarrel with the world” carved onto it in stone—is within walking distance from Mark’s day job at Bennington.

Which of these poets would you be most excited for Mark to lead a book club about sometime in the next year?

Your input will help us make our decision. If there is another poet you wish were on this list, add their name to the comments.

For paid subscribers only: Mark’s tips on how to read challenging poetry, including the three questions to ask each time you look at a poem.