From classics to modern masterpieces, these great poetry books—recommended by poets themselves—belong on your bookshelf.

Poetry is easy. Good poetry is not. ... The next step allows you to choose from quatrain, couplet, or free verse poetry styles, as well as the length and rhyming scheme, if applicable.

Nina Sankovitch Westport, Conn.. Bad to Verse. To the Editor: The poetry issue Was a waste of time. It was too long And did not rhyme.. Andrew R. Solow Woods Hole, Mass.. books@nytimes.com ...

What became my poem is a collection of songs about the instruments that make up the whole, the drums, the trombone, the clarinet, etc. When they play together, as Cole Porter pointed out, "Now You Has ...