/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.2922920]

Can any fellow /lit/erati recommend good books on writing poetry?

I've got the Poetry Home Repair Manual, but I'm not a fan of it. It seems like it's written more for people who are completely unfamiliar with poetry and I'd like something that delves a little deeper.

[Anonymous No.2922995]

Stephen Fry's The Ode Less Travelled is pretty good. It mostly deals with metre and different form schemes and stuff, but it has some pretty good exercises. I'd certainly recommend it to someone who wants a good foundation for writing and enjoying poetry.

Don't really know what that Poetry Home Repair Whatever is about, but could you specify what you mean by 'something that delves a little deeper'? I think if you find yourself being sure enough in your own poetic skills it would be better just to get writing or go get the massive Penguin Book of Poetry and just read it from beginning to end.

[Anonymous No.2923151]

>>2922995
Well, the book I have spends too much time talking about the "perception" of the poet and trying to disarm the stereotypical 2deep4u writes-poetry-but-doesn't-read-it type, which is all well and good for some people, but I'm looking for something practical with exercises and advice. It doesn't even get into meter until the third or fourth chapter.

The Stephen Fry book looks promising, though. And, yeah, I've been reading the Norton Anthology of Poetry almost daily and writing more than ever.

[Anonymous No.2923170]

>>2923151
Definitely go for the Stephen Fry book then. It's basicly a beginner's guide to writing poetry and it's full of exercises and examples from famous poems. Also, it's written by someone who'd probably be a dream teacher and geniunely loves poetry. It's a bit slow in the beginning if you're already well acquainted with writing poetry, but I definitely think you'll improve if you follow it through.

[Anonymous No.2923499]

It's not about writing poetry, but if you haven't read it check out Hollander "Rhyme's Reason".