Which poetry book should you be reading

Ok, now I am going to offer you something useful. After taking a bunch of quizzes on people’s blogs only to find out I am an over-the-top Christmas sweater, 63% weird, a classic Coca-cola, etc, I have made up my own quiz. Answer the following questions and I will recommend a book of poetry for you to read.

1. You’re expecting a baby girl. Which of these names would you choose for her?
a. Lilian b. Abagail c. Siena d. Cody e. Deborah f. Maria

2. Beatles or Stones?

3. Which of the following would be your choice of pet?
a. Beagle b. Siamese cat c. Mynah bird d. Seahorse

4. If you could change careers, what would you like to be?

5. Which of these mostly closely matches your present mood?
a. distant b. volatile c. content d. exuberant
e. preoccupied f. melancholy g. dissatisfied

6. Which city would you like to spend a year in?
a. Amsterdam b. La Paz c. Athens d. Chengdu e. Paris f. Honolulu

7. Name three of your favorite words.

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Rus,
You are a sensual person who desires closeness and understanding. You have a sense of humor but don't like funny business or too much kidding. Your reading prescription is Adelia Prado's "The Alphabet in the Park."

Carl,
You have a slight fear of closeness. You take life seriously and enjoy a touch of humor to take the edge off things. You'll take wit over hilarity and plain over fancy. Your reading prescription is David Ignatow's "Against the Evidence." Here's a poem of his from 1972.

Pamela,
You value tradition and straight-forwardness. In others, you look for empathy and humaneness. Despite the desire for clarity, you have some inclination to the mystic. Your poetry book is Marie Howe's "What the Living do."

Jessy,
Given the choice, you would be a night owl but you're just as at home in broad daylight. Under a layer of worldliness is a sensitivity many don't appreciate. You are astute and discerning. Your book is Robin Becker's "All-American Girl."

Lauren,
You are patient and disciplined, which helps you handle anxiety. You have an appreciation of beauty in both the sublime and the sensual, and you like to linger there. Your book of poems is Jane Kenyon's "Otherwise."

Micky,
You don’t mind not always being in step with the rest of the world. The opinions of others are relatively unimportant to you when making a decision, but you’ll go out of your way not to hurt someone’s feelings. You have strong powers of concentration. Your book is Agha Shahid Ali’s “The Half-Inch Himalayas.”

Kate,
Although an upfront kind of person, you do have some doubts you don’t tell anyone about. You were born under a good star and are considered by most to deserve the good luck you’ve had in life. Your book is Pablo Neruda’s “100 Love Sonnets.”

Michi,
If people only knew about those soft spots you’ve got under the mask of the quotidian! You don’t always work well with tension. Your curiosity and openness to new things have helped and will help you in life. Your friends appreciate your warmth. Your poetry prescription is Diane Wakoski’s “Emerald Ice.”

Rachel,
You have the gift of great resilience. You’ve been around the block but not without your principles. You have never been the type to laugh when someone falls down, unless you didn’t like them already. Sometimes you find you need help in the enthusiasm department. Your book is Brenda Shaughnessy’s “Interior with Sudden Joy.”

Arlene,
You are basically a stable person but have recently gone through a somewhat schizophrenic period. You are exactly 89.341% weird (if you had been an actual librarian the score would have been higher). You need a bit of grounding now, and nouns more than adjectives. Your prescription is Bob Hicok's "The Legend of Light."

Sharon,
Your book was hard to find. Stella asks “are you sometimes wearing a mask?” Sometimes you feel like you need a good stiff drink, but really you need spiritual food, and a little more earth under your fingernails. Your book prescription is Gloria Fuertes’ “Off the Map.” You can read three of her poems here.

Kate’s husband,
Sometimes you feel like breaking loose, a feeling that can leave you exhausted. You need to take better care of yourself. You would have made a good professional dancer. The tomcat is your patron saint. Your book is Russell Edson’s classic “The Tunnel.”

Nate,
The past year has filled you with a new ambition. Sometimes you are too nice to people – you should let them know your limits, especially those who try your patience. A little travel –alone- would do you good. Stay away from prescription drugs. The book for you is Joshua Beckmann’s “Things are Happening.”

Blue,
Determination is your strong point - only in love have you sometimes beat around the bush. You are steadfast and resilient. Remember that forgiveness is key to peace of mind – on both ends. Stay away from technology stocks. Your book is Alan Michael Parker’s “Love Song with Motor Vehicles.”

Nate’s Friend,
You’re a down-to-earth person who doesn’t like artifice. You can be mercurial but are a reliable friend. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Your poetry book prescription is Micheal Ondaajte’s “The Collected Works of Billy the Kid.”

Jilly,
Your strong points are loyalty and curiosity. Fate has been good to you, although it’s given you very little psychic ability. If you let your newest project sit a spell, it could turn out radically different, and better. Your book in Kay Ryan’s “Elephant Rocks.”

Paula,
You are generally upbeat but there's always room in your imagination for something somber. You are attracted to myth and color. It’s all in how you stir the soup. Your book is Gabrielle Calvocoressi’s “The Last Time I Saw Amelia Earheart.”

Hedgie,
You appreciate nature and relish the occasional indulgence in luxury. There is a good night’s sleep in the offing. Go with your instinct and set yourself free. Your poetry book is Patrick Philip’s “Chattahoochee.”

Pris,
You prefer the questioner to the authoritative voice. Beauty, even violent beauty, brings you solace. Remember the Yiddish proverb – “Bygone troubles are a pleasure to talk about.” Your book is Pier Giorgio di Cicco’s “Living in Paradise.”

Michael,
In some ways you’re a true stoic. You like a direct statement more than a teasing meander. Some of the prejudices you’ve developed in reading are worth having, but don’t let them imprison you. Your book is “Forty-four Ambitions for the Piano” by Lola Haskins.

KL,
You have perhaps spent too much time smoldering. Go with your gut, darling - it’s that simple. Your book is “The Random House Book of 20th Century French Poetry,” edited by Paul Auster.

Robin,
You are drawn to the visual and have enviable gifts. Get in touch with your inner Chinese. Your book is the anthology from Copper Canyon Press “The Book of Tongues.”

Nate’s wife,
You have a number of attractive quirks. Few high-powered executives have mynah birds, so you may have to choose (go for the mynah!). Keep in mind what many an Italian grandmother would tell you: “To a quick question, give a slow answer.” Your poetry book is Laura Kasischke’s “Gardening in the Dark.”

Tom,
Whenever you are near an aquarium, you experience a familial affinity to the fish. Converse more with your partner. Don’t forget God gives every crazy bird a worm, but He won’t drop it in the nest. Your book is Martin Espada’s “City of Coughing and Dead Radiators.”

Toni,
You are not the type to lie on your resumé. You like voices than have an oracular character – even the ocean once spoke to you! Your book is "Songs of the Simple Truth" by Julia de Burgos.

Gene,
Sometimes you frighten children. Your element is dionysian. There is a book calling your name and it is David St. John’s “Study for the World’s Body.”

Sara,
You would have been right at home in the wild west, had you been born a man. Avoid unnecessary travel. It’s time to switch from consonants to vowels. Your poetry book is “Lorca & Jimenez,” translated by Robert Bly.

Laurel,
As they say, it's never too late. You’re drawn to the passionate and shun the mediocre. You’re family oriented. Among the animal signs, yours is the marsupial, and your patron saint is Noah Webster. The book for you is Tomaz Salamun’s "Four Questions of Melancholy."

Raj,
You are seeking balance in life. Your approach is rational but you have a mystical leaning. You would not make a good hedonist. Your book is Wislawa Szymborska's "View with a Grain of Sand."

Jeff,
You strive to keep your house in order but don't always succeed. Women find you very attractive, but you've never been the type to take advantage of people. Your book is Norman Dubie's "The Mercy Seat."

Shelley,
You're drawn to the odd but have a firm grounding in reality. You are polite and disciplined (enough), which can help you achieve your goals. Even so, don't neglect the spontaneous impulse. Your book is Peter Pereira's "Saying the World."

Eleven,
You have a hard exterior but there is a secret marshmellow inside you. You laugh at your own jokes, but not alone. Remember what someone's Chinese grandmother said - "When the cup is full, carry it even." Your book is Marie Howe's "What the Living Do."