Description
Book SynopsisA poem comes from the same human need as a prayer, a curse, a lullaby, and a keen. How can emotion use language to satisfy its most urgent need, and how can it share and prolong that satisfaction by putting it into poems that will satisfy the same need in others? The answer can be learned and the skill taught. Unlike many other textbooks, this one has no teaching manual and Alberta Turner does not expect those who use it to agree with her interpretations. Each principled is illustrated with detailed analysis of several poems, but it is up to the teachers and students to decide whether it has succeeded or failed. Poetic tastes can''t be legislated; they have to creep by underground runners. Although a poem never illustrates only one poetic principle at a time, this book has focused on each separately. Since the book is intended to used by beginning poets, the principles are sequenced from simpler to more complex. As courses in writing poetry range from two-week enrichment programs to full-semester college workshops, the book is arranged so that the course can be shortened or lengthened. This book will work best for flexible, imaginative teachers of flexible imaginative students. A Collegiate Press book
Table of ContentsPart 1 Preface Part 2 Part I: Inviting the Poem Chapter 3 Reaching into the Box Chapter 4 Freeing the Felt Idea Part 5 Part II: Making the Poem Chapter 6 Concreteness and Abstraction: The Value of Concrete Words; The Value of Abstract Words; Combining Concrete and Abstract Words Chapter 7 Rhythm: Natural Rhythms; Poetic Rhythms: Traditioal, Free Verse; Using Prose Rhythms Chapter 8 Sound: Using Sound in Traditional Poetry; Using Sound in Free Verse and Prose Poetry Chapter 9 Multiple Meanings: Multiple Connotations; Multiple Denotations; Irony; Allusion Chapter 10 Metaphor: Varieties of Metaphor; Ways of Using Metaphor Part 11 Part III: Poets on Their Own Chapter 12 The Journal Chapter 13 The Library Chapter 14 History and Criticism Chapter 15 The Workshop Part 16 Part IV: Poems for Further Discussion Chapter 17 Index of Poem Titles Chapter 18 Index of Authors
