Writing Metrical Poetry: Contemporary Lessons for Mastering Traditional Forms

The booked arrived quickly and in excellent condition. I am reading through the "course in writing poetry" and have found it quite helpful with the practice suggestions.

This is a valuable little book that helps poets disentangle the long standing argument between Modernist poetry and the inherited forms of poetry. The author prefers the structured poetry and gives many examples of how the sound of a poem contributes to its haunting effect. There are essays at the end of the book showing the differing stances still alive in poetry today. He explains poetic terms in an easy way and makes many things formly dark, clear. An excellent book for poets.

I'm not a poet, but have always enjoyed reading it. Perhaps there are more technical and advanced books available, but I would say William Baer strikes the right balance explaining the terms and the forms without overwhelming the interested reader or budding poet. Nor does he stop there. He gives examples aplenty and powerfully simple and straightforward analysis. Best of all, he avoids the touchy-feely approach of more populist poetry manuals that throw the rules out the window and just want you to get in touch with your inner self.

If you wish to learn the rules and methods of mastering metrical poetry, look no further than Writing Metrical Poetry: Contemporary Lessons for Mastering Traditional Forms. It's a rarity in the world of the poetic free verse of modern times, and provides all the details needed to work with poetry in the major forms, from quatrains to sonnets and beyond. Step-by-step directions offer easy instructions and plenty of examples and exercises to reinforce focused assignments. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch