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Rules for the Dance: A Handbook for Writing and Reading Metrical Verse |
Author: Mary Oliver
Published: 1998-07-27 |
List price: $13.95
Our price: $11.16
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As of: January 08th, 2009 07:33:05 AM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Highly recommended
This is an excellent introduction to formal poetry; not just meter, but rhyme, sonics, and traditional forms. You'll learn about substitution, catalectic feet, slant rhymes, and all the other techniques which go into the making of verse. The last part of the book is an anthology which shows how the greatest poets of the English language have applied these concepts to their own writing.
All aspiring poets should learn about formal poetry before they even think about writing so-called "free verse." Readers of poetry can bnefit from some formal knowledge as well. This book is a very good place to start.
Guidelines for structured poetry
this is a must for beginning and practising poets, looking for the beauty and discipline of structure and meter in poetry. It helps with both the understanding and construction of metrical poetry, and even if you write only free verse, it will increase your appreciation.
Great Resource
This is an excellent resource for teaching or studying poetry. Clear and easy to use; well-organized; and it includes a nice anthology of metrical poems -- a complete package.
Mary Oliver shines
Mary Oliver shines in this prose manual on the writing and issues of poetic composition. Her economy of words combines with an easy style to help an utter novice (like me) gain an understanding of the metric and rhyming tools involved. Clarity and suppleness of expression mark this book and I would recommend it to anyone who reads poetry or has an interest in trying their hand at writing.
What you may enjoy the most is that Mary does not wander all about the landscape of poetry, but maintains a steady course and uses many pretty little examples to illustrate the concepts. The book is not long but is one of those gems that you will enjoy diving into from time to times for some thoughtful reading on poetics. The author's personality shines through the words - and there is no pretense here, just someone who loves and lives through words.
Consider reading her Wild Geese if you haven't yet - a stunning beautiful piece of work.
So Much More Than I Expected.....
I read this book expecting to learn about metrical poetry: kind of the basics of how they work, how they are constructed.I didn't expect spiritual and personal growth lessons. Needless to say, I was delighted to be fed on so many different levels. Given Mary Oliver is the author, I shouldn't be surprised..... I also wasn't expecting to be so compelled to try on the metrical form by reading this book yet I am! And the great thing is I am also learning (through practice) the freedom and spiritual side of writing "according to form and rhythm". Highly recommended to poets and anyone who loves a poet or the written word.
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