by Jasen Christensen (Editor), Robert Grant (Editor)

Many people today are of the belief that they don't "get" poetry, regarding a poem with almost the same trepidation they might regard, say, a complicated physics equation.

In fairness to those many people, some poems are dense. Or cryptic. Or full of confusing words. (Or all three.) Such poems can be intimidating. Such poems can sometimes dissuade people from reading more poetry.

That's a huge bummer, because most people's lives would be tremendously enriched by reading more poetry. Poetry can challenge us to more fully live out our ideals and inspire us to passionately pursue our dreams. Poetry can invite us into greater empathy for others. Poetry can help us laugh and help us cry. Poetry can make us feel not alone.

The good news is there are thousands of accessible, understandable, relatable poems in the world, ready to be discovered and enjoyed.

If you're someone who holds the belief that you don't really get poetry, hopefully the thoughtful and engaging poems in this anthology (selected from the first four issues of Abandoned Mine) will help you reframe your relationship to poetry-and enrich your life!