Right now, the world appears to be a dark and dangerous place of little joy. Dai George’s How To Think Like A Poet, may offer respite for its readers. After all, transmuting pain and other difficult feelings into words is what poetry is often about.

George offers insight into the working minds of more than 20 poets, beginning with short biographies and introducing us to their poetry and themes running through their art. What’s great about this book is that it goes beyond the old curriculum of famous names like John Donne or Dylan Thomas – expanding what most people know and think about poetry by including multiple authors in the canon and going beyond Western, white and male poets to find wisdom and immense beauty in the works of poets from China, India and the Caribbean. 

How To Think Like A Poet would make a great gift to anyone in need of respite and inspiration. The final chapter, ‘How To Think Like A Contemporary Poet’ is particularly rich and insightful, ending with a call to arms. More poetry is needed, as the famous artwork by Jeremy Deller calls from a carpark wall in Swansea. Indeed – and it definitely won’t hurt.