Written in an easy, non-technical style, Essential Poetry is intended to give enjoyment to young and old. In the first half, there are essays dealing with the building-blocks of poetry, using brief examples from the greatest poets ranging from Homer to Heaney. The second half consists of an anthology of just two dozen poets, selecting a single poem from each to give a taste of their style.

The author, who includes a selection of his own work within the book, hopes to generate greater interest and enthusiasm in students and to re-awaken later generations to the glorious heritage of poetry in English-and even, perhaps, to set the reader on the road to writing poetry of their own.