Poetry collections fit for novices

The Guardian's book blog raises the question of which poetry collections are best for novices looking to break into contemporary fiction. This particular article suggests that Seamus Heaney is a good place to start, and as a previous A'level student who used a selection of his works for her final coursework, I would have to agree. He is accessible, sensitive and lyrical in his choice of language.

Alison Flood, the author of this particular blog entry goes on to suggest the novice poetry reader could take a look at Christopher Reid's A Scattering which I must confess does not sit on my bookshelf.

For me it is the simple work of Roger McGough that is inspirational as a read for a new poetry reader. His style and simplicity is so welcoming and has certainly influenced my writing. I am also a huge Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath fan (which probably accounts for my appreciation of Heaney too), but in terms of contemporary poetry, I'm not sure they are the best poets to commence your exploration with.

Who are your top contemporary poets?