There are many poets that inspire me. But two really stand out who might be called traditional published poets.

One is William Blake, whose poetry sketched the world of early industrial Britain. His sparse and engaging style really gets close to his subjects, who were often those down-and-out. He was an illustrator and engraver, as well as a poet.

Best place to see his work is at the  William Blake Archive

The second is T.S. Eliot, a more difficult and philosophical poet who, nevertheless, is fascinating in his portrayal of the disillusionment of the early twentieth century and the bankruptcy of a western culture that supported death and war.

There are many good web sites that contain his biography and works. These include Poetry Foundation and Poets.org. Of course the musical “Cats” was based on some of his poems.

I believe that both these poets have influenced my style and approach to poetry.