The Poet's companion : a guide to the pleasures of writing poetry

Two accomplished poets and teachers offer a poetry primer that includes short essays on the elements of poetry, technique, and possible subjects for writing, along with writing exercises, tips on getting published, and examples of contemporary poetry. Abstract: Two accomplished poets and teachers offer a poetry primer that includes short essays on the elements of poetry, technique, and possible subjects for writing, along with writing exercises, tips on getting published, and examples of contemporary poetry Content: Subjects for writing : Writing and knowing The family: inspiration and obstacle Death and grief Writing the erotic The shadow Witnessing Poetry of place -- The poet's craft : Images Simile and metaphor The music of the line Voice and style Stop making sense: dreams and experiments Meter, rhyme, and form Repetition, rhythm, and blues More repetition: villanelle, pantoum, sestina A grammatical excursion The energy of revision -- The writing life : Self-doubt Writer's block Writing in the electronic age Getting published -- Twenty-minute writing exercises -- Appendixes : A. Books on poetry and writing -- B. Anthologies for further reading -- C. Finding markets for your poems D. More resources for writers. From the nuts and bolts of craft to the sources of inspiration, this book is for anyone who wants to write poetry-and do it well. The Poet's Companion presents brief essays on the elements of poetry, technique, and suggested subjects for writing, each followed by distinctive writing exercises. The ups and downs of writing life—including self-doubt and writer's block—are here, along with tips about getting published and writing in the electronic age. On your own, this book can be your "teacher," while groups, in or out of the classroom, can profit from sharing weekly assignments.