Two Cures for Love: Selected Poems 1979-2006

Wendy Cope's poems are simple. They're wry but not quite as bitter as the prose of Dorothy Parker. I'd recommend this book, but check out some of her poems online if you're not sure about purchasing it.

she has a gentle 'way with words' dealing with routine daily life observations... just purchased her book 'Making Cocoa for Kinglsey Amis'. In which the first poem is a reaction prompted by an employment advert for engineering vacancies(the ad comically suggests the popularity of youngsters choosing engineering for a career as opposed to dreaming of their becoming talented celebrity poets)... Ms Cope's sarcasm in her poetry response is 'harmless' and refreshing... chatty and just the kind of thing one would say in passing to another over coffee... well 'under'stated... like an 'easy conversation'. I like a variety of writings from Beckett to stories for children - Ms Cope's is the genre of poetry you pick up at the end of the day for a peaceful 'smile' at life. Its an added bonus to hear the author reading from their works. The Set here comprises of a mini book-all the poems on the audio cassette in writing- and one audio cassette.. the poet is well worth listening to as she introduces each poem(describes the 'form' it is written in) and is clear in her reading ability-not full of 'added music or special effects' but plain and simple.poems included:Making Coca for Kinglsey AmisA Nursery RhymeWaste Land LimericksA Policeman's LotReading SchemeRondeau RedoubleFrom June to DecemberIII Summer Villanelle/V Some People/VI Going too FarMy LoverAt 3 a.m.Tich MillerSistersfrom Strugnells Sonnets The Expense of spirits/Good and the Jolly Bored Bog-MouseThe Lavatory AttendantStrugnells HaikuFrom Twiddling your Thumbs Telling/Thomas Thumb/KissingFrom Serious Concerns Bloody Men/Flowers/the Orange/After the Lunch/FavouriteAnother Unfortunate ChoiceLossTwo Cures for LoveDefining the ProblemThe AerialSome More Light VerseExchange of LettersThe Uncertainty of the PoetKindness to AnimalsA Green SongA Christmas PoemValentineNine-line TrioletIn the Rhine ValleyFaint PraiseMen and Their Boring ArgumentsStrugnells Christian Song IIILegacy/Names/LeavingUncollectedSong/An ending/Wiggle that Toe/Huff/An attempt at Unrhymed Verse

I really enjoyed this collection. It was down to earth, funny andb in places very cleverly written and put together.

I've been a big fan of Wendy Cope for about 8 years, when I came across her work in my first year at university. Her critics state that she is a lightweight, that she cannot be considered a 'serious' poet. I beg to differ. She is naturally lighthearted - something you cannot deny as you read her work. But that does not mean that her work does not have depth.There are layers upon layers in the short, pithy, sentences. Cope is able to use simple language to convey a wealth of emotion, and engages the discerning reader from the very first word. It is this incredible skill which makes her so popular; people of all walks of life and educational backgrounds are touched by her poetry.I only wish her work was a little more prolific!

This book, is incredible.Some of the poems in here struck some chords very close to home while I heal a broken heart.There are some real thinkers; romantic, family, work, self esteem.. I cannot recommend this highly enough if you need some clarity or enjoy other perspectives on love.I will cherish this book for many years.

What there is here, is mostly quite good. Not Earth shattering, but good.But while I realise she isn't the most prolific of poets, this selected is very slim and rather over-priced.As she tends to come across as a school teacher, I shall mark her work here as 'needs more effort'.