The Sea: The Poetry of the Earth

"For centuries, poets, writers, and artists have sought to capture on canvas and on paper the ardor we feel for the sea. Here is a unique collection of their work--a celebration of the Earth's great waters to bring you a gentle ocean breeze wherever you are." (from the introduction.)If you enjoy beautiful art of the ocean compiled with classic poetry by some of the greatest poets around the world that have ever lived then this is the book for you.The book is a true Gem and at the end it has illustration acknowledgments so you know the name of the art, the artist, and where to go to find it (if you want more information.)My personal favorite art is entitled "Return to Port" by Henrich Peterson-Angeln; my favorite poem is by Stephanie June Sorrell (Born 1956 English Poet):" I CANNOT WRITE THIS.THE WAY THE SALT BREEZE SWOOPS UP FROM THE WHITE BREASTED CLIFFS TO TEASE THE WILD GRASSES.OR THE SEA RAKING THE SHORE BELOW WITH HER ENDLESS WHITE SIGHS.NO MORE THAN I CAN WRITE THE LARK TUMBLING HARMONICS INTO THE ENDLESS BLUE SKY.INSTEAD I DIP MY PEN INTO THE SEA AND WRITE WORDS THAT VANISH UNREAD INTO COVES.PARAGRAPHS THAT LIE SCATTERED AND BROKEN ON THE SANDS.AND DREAMS THAT ARE DIAMOND EDGED AS SUN STRIKES WATER."This is the only book I've ever read that stirred my emotions so deeply that I wrote a poem because of it. Here are some of the poets: Frederico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) Spanish poet and dramatist; Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) English Explorer; Richard Jeffries (1848-1887) English naturalist and writer; Sidney Lanier (1842-1881) American poet; Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) English poet; Jules Verne (1828-1905) French writer; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) American poet; Eliza Cook (1818-1899) English essayist and poet; Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American philosopher, essayist, and poet; Euripides (480-406 b.c.) greek poet and dramatist; Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) Scottish writer; and Hans Christian Anderson (1805-1875) Danish writer. There are so many more worth mentioning!The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because the poetry is better than the illustrations. If you want the best ocean artwork go check out contemporary Christopher Riese Lassen.