Poetry For Dummies

by The Poetry Center, John Timpane

Demystify and appreciate the pleasures of poetrySometimes it seems like there are as many definitions of poetry as there are poems. Coleridge defined poetry as “the best words in the best order.” St. Augustine called it “the Devil’s wine.” For Shelley, poetry was “the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.” But no matter how you define it, poetry has exercised a hold upon the hearts and minds of people for more than five millennia. That’s because for the attentive reader, poetry has the power to send chills shooting down the spine and lightning bolts flashing in the brain — to throw open the doors of perception and hone our sensibilities to a scalpel’s edge. Poetry For Dummies is a great guide to reading and writing poems, not only for beginners, but for anyone interested in verse.  From Homer to Basho, Chaucer to Rumi, Shelley to Ginsberg, it introduces you to poetry’s greatest practitioners. It arms you with the tools you need to understand and appreciate poetry in all its forms, and to explore your own talent as a poet. Discover how

Understand poetic language and forms Interpret poems Get a handle on poetry through the ages Find poetry readings near you Write your own poems Shop your work around to publishers Don’t know the difference between an iamb and a trochee? Worry not, this friendly guide demystifies the jargon, and it covers a lot more ground besides,

Understanding subject, tone, narrative; and poetic language Mastering the three steps to interpretation Facing the challenges of older poetry Exploring 5,000 years of verse, from Mesopotamia to the global village Writing open-form poetry Working with traditional forms of verse Writing exercises for aspiring poets Getting published From Sappho to Clark Coolidge, and just about everyone in between, Poetry For Dummies puts you in touch with the greats of modern and ancient poetry. Need guidance on composing a ghazal, a tanka, a sestina, or a psalm? This is the book for you.

Genres: Poetry, Writing

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 2011

Reviews

[Aaron Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for an intro into poetry, and this book was available from the e-library. It fit the bill and I found it interesting and helpful throughout. I have no plans to attempt to write any poetry so I skimmed the later half of the book.

[Roger Alderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful title. It helped me streamline my process for creating poetry.

[Collins Chipeta · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has enlightened me on what poetry is and what to expect from it, so as an apprentice in the art of poetry I have been intrigued therefore I will progress another step further.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book broke the concepts, and processes to it's simplest terms. My only complaint was, "thereis to much information to absolve it all." Poetry for Fummies reminded me of poetry rules I learned in Junior High and High Schools. I was not aware of what I remembered.
I love the fact that this book intigued me to go back to my poetry, and try again. I loved it.