Is Mary Oliver's Wild Geese really the best poem to hand a poetry newcomer?

[NightOwl83]

Mary Oliver's Wild Geese gets recommended constantly as the ideal entry point for someone who claims they don't really get poetry. It's accessible without being simplistic, deals with genuinely big themes like belonging and forgiveness, and doesn't require any specialized literary background to appreciate on a first read. Curious whether people think it actually deserves that reputation as the go to newcomer poem

The counterargument is that its sheer popularity has made it feel a little overused at this point, almost a cliche recommendation rather than a genuinely considered one. Some people prefer starting newcomers with something shorter and punchier, or something with more obvious wordplay to show off what poetry can actually do with language itself. Feels like a genuine tension between accessibility and originality of recommendation

What's your actual go to poem for someone who says they don't get poetry. Genuinely curious what people reach for first

[Scarlett89]

Billy Collins tends to be my first recommendation instead, particularly something like Introduction to Poetry, since it's genuinely funny while still making a real point about how people approach reading poems. Feels less earnest and heavy than Wild Geese for someone who's a little skeptical going in. Humor as an entry point works well for a lot of reluctant readers