Welcome to Litsy!

This short-but-sweet guide to poetry is written for the aspiring poet but enlightens readers, too. It refreshed my memories of AP Literature: scansion, metric patterns, imagery. It makes me want to read more poetry. #52Books #under200pages

I know I'm a nerd because not only is this book enjoyable for me to read through, but I'm creating assignments in my head to complete so I can hone my poetry analysis skills. 🤓

I‘m in the mood for some Mary Oliver poems after reading her Handbook. It is addressed to writers of poetry, but she says readers might get a lot out of it as well. I completely agree! Would be a great foundational text for a class on reading or writing poetry.

(This stack is all the books I am currently reading; the Oliver is my first book finished in August.)

This book was a joy to read. It was lovely from a creative, writer‘s standpoint, but also from a reader, poetry lover‘s standpoint. I honestly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their knowledge of poetry. My only complaint is that she used asterisks and symbols instead of just using superscript numbers for her footnotes.
#MaryOlivet #APoetryHandbook @CBee

As a historian, I quite like the imagery and spin on this.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #LucilleClifton #IAmAccusedOfTendingThePast #poetry #Joetry2021 @CBee @Chrissyreadit

BRING BACK THE WHITMAN!!! I‘m not so sure about this poem. It ended, but never really got going. If this is free verse, they can all have it back.
Plus that name! Will Williams. Will Will. Will Squared. Wills. Uncreative parents. Destructive parents? Sheesh.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #WilliamCarlosWilliams #TheRedWheelbarrow #poetry #Joetry2021 #WhatWereTheyThinking @CBee @Chrissyreadit

See, in small chunks, Whitman makes so much sense.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #WaltWhitman #LeavesOfGrass #poetry #Joetry2021 @CBee @Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie

@TheBookHippie this book has a section on Leaves of Grass in the chapter about free verse. Maybe this will make my next read of Whitman go more smoothly.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #WaltWhitman #LeavesOfGrass

This one is fun!!!
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #MarrianneMoore #TheFish #poetry #Joetry2021 @CBee @Chrissyreadit

Okay, this is getting ugly now.
This is after the after.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #poetry #RobertFrost #StoppingByWoodsOnASnowyEvening

And this is the “after” image. I don‘t think I‘ve ever done this to a poem before. I practically dissected the thing.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #RobertFrost #StoppingByWoodsOnASnowyEvening #NaturePoetry #poetry #Joetry2021 @CBee @Chrissyreadit

This was a nice example of how sounds (types of letters and letter combinations) effect the feeling/environment evoked by a poem.
Think of this as the “before” image.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #RobertFrost #StoppingByWoodsOnASnowyEvening #NaturePoetry #Joetry2021 @CBee @Chrissyreadit

I can‘t possibly be the only millennial that grew up with mother goose and other nursery rhymes. I mean, seriously.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #NurseryRhymes

I think I‘ve found the problem I‘m having with the workbook. I like this so much more so far.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook #TeachingPoetry

I‘m so excited to have this now. It‘s actually shorter than I expected, so I‘m feeling really good about this now.
#MaryOliver #APoetryHandbook

“Poetry is a life-cherishing force. For poems are not words, after all, but fires for the cold, ropes let down to the lost, something as necessary as bread in the pockets of the hungry.” #pocket #QuotsyApr20

Eloquently written, this is more than a reference book for writing poetry. It inspires and motivates, and never makes you feel unworthy. Mary Oliver not only understood the technicalities of poetry writing, but she understood the emotion that comes with it.

Mary Oliver, tellin' it like it is. On repeat.

New to Litsy. I am loving all the great posts and I got my first email yesterday which had great recommendations. Taking Poetry and CNF classes right now so reading craft books. Love Mary Oliver's poetry handbook. Will follow up with her newest on metrical verse and then her book of essays on a writing life. So excited to be a part of this community!

As a #prose #writer, I've never really gotten the hang of #writing #poetry. I'm getting there, I think. Hopefully this book will shed more light on the topic.