Poetry For Dummies
£12.30£18.00 (-32%)
Sometimes 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 to:
- 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, including:
- 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.
Read more
Additional information
| Publisher | 1st edition (1 May 2001), For Dummies |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 336 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0764552724 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0764552724 |
| Dimensions | 18.8 x 2.03 x 23.11 cm |
by Gemma
I have been writing poetry on and off for 40 years and have had numerous pieces of work published in anthologies over the years. this said I have never explored poetry in an academic fashion. Phil book gives a good foundation for helping a novice understand poetry, its history and its style, with and excellent guide on how to begin writing poetry. The appendices are an excellent point of reference and lead you into further research. The key downside to the book is that is it is American and the guides on how to get published are U.s. based.
by Amazon Customer
I have found this book to be good for building my appreciation for poetry. The way it tackles the technical side of writing is also good. I found it a food read and an enjoyable one.
by Maria speck
Useful tips
by R R McAuley
This is informative, easily read, and is an introduction for those who want to explore their poetry in depth. Additionally, if one wants to begin to write (or indeed extend their writing of) poetry then there is plenty in the book to help one along
by Andrew K
As someone who is just starting to write poetry I wanted a comprehensive introduction at foundation level. I was looking at either this or the Stephen Fry book. I chose Poetry for Dummies of the two and have found it to be an exceptional introduction to poetry.
I own many of ‘The Dummies’ books and this is one of the best I have read. It is accessible, comprehensive, and inspiring. It has a truly global perspective.
Although there are cheaper introductory books on the subject I found this to be excellent value for money. I will refer back to it often as I get more into writing poetry and hopefully performing my poems in public.
by Kris Prevel
New to poetry, so I am learning something positive from this book.
by Margaret Bignell
Good book, looked well used and read. Content is wat it was purchased for and that was the most important thing.
by Nic
Be prepared that you will learn something! A breath of fresh air as my tutor did not even attempt explaining basics of poetry before he jumped in stating what we should answer with in our assignment. As I like to know what I am writing about, I went about my own research and by passed his ego trip. Worth the money y’all!