I never knew of this book store until I stumbled upon it while visiting Harvard. Intimate and cozy, I loved reading poetry there. What a rare find. Kudos to the owner!

I hate to say it, but I was disappointed. it's small, but stacked floor to ceiling with poetry books. However, there were very few names I recognized. It would take a long time to choose a new book, and nothing I asked for was available. I tried Richard Wilbur, Billy Collins, Sharon Olds, Marge Piercy, Margaret Atwood, Stephen Crane, Robert Frost -- even Robert Frost! Nothing. My husband and I finally chose a hardbound copy of Eliot's The Wasteland to share. I felt a little like I was in Monty Python's Cheese Shop skit -- only this one was called Poetry Shop. I don't know -- maybe all my fave poets were too old or mainstream. I cannot tell a lie. I was disappointed.

Right around the corner from Harvard books, this is a haven for the lover of poetry, but its focus may be a little narrow for the general book lover. Still fun to step into!

It would be easy to miss the Grolier Poetry Book Shop, located on a little side street near the (much larger) Harvard Book Store. But if you love poetry, you should make a special effort to visit Grolier. The store is well-stocked with poetry volumes from around the world, and poets often stop by to drop off their latest work or just chat with the owner. The late Seamus Heaney (once a resident of Adams House) was a frequent visitor.