Wonder - Ana Sampson

As a reader of fiction, primarily,  I have my favourite authors. Writers whose work I seek out avidly. Up to two or three years ago I couldn’t have said the same about poetry. Then I read Ana Sampson’s She is Fierce and it jumpstarted my poetry mojo, not just back into motion but supercharged it! Now I will always grab a copy of any anthology she produces. Why? What makes this anthologist different from all the others?  I’m not sure I can say finitely but whatever she does it resonates with me. I always get the sense that her books are lovingly curated. I enjoy the way she arranges the poems and gives just the right amount of commentary to complement rather than dominate the poems. There is a sense that the poems have been arranged much like the installations in an art exhibition. So you have such a sense of cohesion throughout the work

So it’s no wonder that I grabbed myself a copy of Wonder! This collection is affiliated with the Natural History Museum which I think is wonderful. 

Once more you know that every poem has been thoughtfully considered for its inclusion in the collection. And as you go through the various sections in the book - Mammals, Earth, Space etc it’s like taking a walk through the museum itself. 

Something else I’ve always admired about this anthologist’s work is the range of poems included. There will be classical poetry with the likes of Shelley and Wordsworth but there will also be more contemporary poetry from folk like Neil Gaiman and Carol Ann Duffy and poetry from poets you may never have heard of. It’s so inclusive. 

And in this collection there are some relevant photos also to complement the poems and the museum itself. It’s a wonderful advert not just for poetry but for visiting the natural history museum. And as with all of Ana‘s anthologies you can dip in and out of it and find some gem each time you do. And there’s something in here for everybody.