The magic hour

For anyone who wishes they read more poetry - this book is the perfect entry point. People are wary of poetry, even though they use it all the time. Open a newspaper, eavesdrop on a conversation, and you will find quotations from Shakespeare, Browning and Tennyson, used by people who would swear they never read poetry at all. The words delight us, console us, remind us of moments of personal significance. Charlotte Moore, a writer and former English teacher, has loved poetry all her life. Earlier this year she started a poetry reading group for anyone interested, whether they be poetry addicts or complete beginners. For each group meeting, Moore chooses seven or eight poems, now compiled in this book, all loosely linked by subject and frames each poem with her own commentary. Taking the reader on a stimulating tour of poems, the book demonstrates how we can all benefit from adding poetry into our daily lives.