Adventures in Form

by Hannah Silva

Welcome to a strange new world in which a poem can be written using only one vowel, processed through computer code, collaged from film trailers, compiled from Facebook status updates, hidden inside a Sudoku puzzle, and even painted on sheep to demonstrate Quantum Theory. Discover a multitude of new and unusual poetic forms - from tweet to time-splice, and from skinny villanelle to breakbeat sonnet - in this inspiring and inventive anthology. Adventures in Form features over ninety poems by forty-six contributors including Patience Agbabi, Christian Bök, Joe Dunthorne, Inua Ellams, Roddy Lumsden, Ian McMillan, Paul Muldoon, Ruth Padel and Hannah Silva. Edited and introduced by Tom Chivers.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2012

Reviews

[Cara L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of ideas, I particularly enjoyed the different take on Little Red Riding Hood

[John Pappas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every poem in this smashing collection crackles and hums with sweet, electric life. Edited and introduced by Tom Chivers (and, worth the price of admission for his introduction alone), this anthology seeks to show the diverse uses and ends of form in British poetry of the contemporary era. From fresh takes on forms like the sonnet and sestina (revitalized with the pops and breaks of London slang, and txtmsg abbreviations) to new forms derived from social media, Twitter, computer code and even sheep (Sheep?! Yes, sheep.) each poem demonstrates to be true what Paul Muldoon said about poetic form: “Form is a straitjacket the same way a straitjacket was a straitjacket to Houdini.” All of the liberating purposes of form are on display in this collection of virtuoso performances: here, form clarifies, obfuscates, supports, subverts, confounds, restrains, liberates, amplifies and lies. In these poems, form can be both the faithful companion and the terrorist; sometimes it can be both at once.

All of these poets take joy in scampering about the jungle gym of form, but Sam Riviere, George Ttoouli and Tamar Yoseloff’s poems are especially vibrant and engaging. This collection is absolutely essential in understanding how form remains a vital component to postmodern expression. Read more about this collection in this great article at the L.A. Review of Books: http://lareviewofbooks.org/review/ans...

[Ben Warden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting book on contemporary poetry and form, with a really nicely written introduction by Tom Chivers. Take a look it'll get you in to poetry if you're not already a fan

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

the quality of the poems is certainly varied, and it feels limited to forms that are still the essentially the page - but there are many good ideas here