The Strategic Poet - by Diane Lockward (Paperback)

About the Book

This book focuses on the craft of poetry and is based on the belief that craft can be taught and the best teacher of craft is a good poem. It is organized into thirteen sections, each one devoted to a specific poetic strategy. Each section begins with a craft talk solicited from a well-known poet. The craft talk is followed by model poems that exemplify the element being discussed. One model poem in each section is followed by a commentary from the poet who wrote the poem.

Book Synopsis

The Strategic Poet: Honing the Craft focuses on the craft of poetry and is based on the belief that craft can be taught and the best teacher of craft is a good poem. This book assumes a knowledgeable reader, that is, one who already knows the language of poetry and already practices the craft. This book is organized into thirteen sections, each one devoted to a specific poetic strategy. While only thirteen strategies are used for organizational purposes, the reader will find many additional strategies referred to and discussed within the sections. There is a progression from one section to the next, but each section also stands alone, so the reader or teacher can follow the order of the Contents or move about freely among the sections.

Each section begins with a Craft Talk solicited from a well-known poet with a clear mastery of craft. Each Craft Talk is followed by Model Poems and Prompts. Each Model Poem is followed by an analysis of its craft elements, especially its use of the section's strategy. One Model Poem in each section is followed by a Commentary from the poet who wrote the poem and is focused on a particular strategy used in the poem.

Each of the thirty-six Prompts is followed by two Sample Poems written to the prompts. These seventy-two poems demonstrate that the prompts are not mere exercises and can produce terrific poems.

Each section ends with three Bonus Prompts. There thirty-nine additional prompts were contributed by thirteen contemporary poets. These short prompts provide additional practice with the strategies, can be used multiple times, and should lead to some good poems.

Contributors include 114 of our best contemporary poets.

This book is suitable for use by poets working independently, by poets in writing groups, and by teachers in the classroom.

Review Quotes

Craft Talk Poets

Ellen Bass - Todd Kaneko - Lauren Camp - Annie Finch - David Graham - Danusha Laméris - Jan Beatty

Meg Kearney - Peter E. Murphy - Dion O'Reilly - Marilyn L. Taylor - Diane Seuss - Tami Haaland

Model Poem Poets

Melanie McCabe - Jesse Graves - Brad Aaron Modlin - Catherine Pierce - Craig van Rooyen - George Drew

Pamela Baggett - Sara Moore Wagner - Lynn McGee - Kate Gaskin - Ada Limón - Lois Marie Harrod

George Bilgere - Camille Dungy - Robert Fillman - Sean Shearer - Dean Young - Frank X Walker

Matthew Olzmann - Tina Kelley - David O'Connell - Dara Elerath - Melanie Figg - Traci Brimhall

Nicole Callihan - Adam Tavel - James Scruton - Rob Shapiro - Jared Harél - Jessica Piazza

Beth Copeland - Elise Hempel - Carolyne Wright - Matthew Yeager - J.P. Grasser

Commentary Poets

Jesse Graves - Craig van Rooyen - Sara Moore Wagner - Lois Marie Harrod

Camille Dungy - Sean Shearer - Tina Kelley - Dara Elerath - Melanie Figg

James Scruton - Jared Harél - Beth Copeland - J.P. Grasser

Bonus Prompt Poets

Lance Larsen - Caitlin Doyle - Adele Kenny - Michael T. Young - J. C. Todd

Catherine Doty - Joy Gaines-Friedler - Kerrin McCadden - BJ Ward

Patricia Clark - Jennifer Franklin - Jeffrey Bean - Allison Joseph

Sample Poem Poets

Tiel Aisha Ansari - KB Ballentine - Nina Bennett - Libby Bernardin - Nancy Susanna Breen

Ronda Piszk Broatch - Jayne Brown - Luanne Castle - Robin Rosen Chang - Robin Chapman

Kersten Christianson - Patricia Clark - Cathryn Colman - Gail Comorat - Geraldine Connolly

Jane Mary Curran - Jessica de Koninck - Maureen Doallas - Lynn Domina - Robert Fillman

Ann Fisher-Wirth - Emily Franklin - Deborah Gerrish - Holiday Goldfarb - Lucy Griffith

Penny Harter - Lisa Hase-Jackson - Shayla Hawkins - Andrea Hollander - Karen Paul Holmes

Jenny Hubbard - Christen Noel Kauffman - Tina Kelley - Adele Kenny - Jemshed Khan

Athena Kildegaard - Kim Klugh - Lynne Knight - Marcia LeBeau - Diane LeBlanc

Denise Low - Charlotte Mandel - Joan Mazza - Maren Mitchell - Erin Murphy - Dion O'Reilly

Jenna Rindo - Janet Ruth - Jennifer Saunders - Linda Simone - Kate Sontag

Betsy Thorne - Denise Utt - Lisken Van Pelt Dus - Kory Wells - Bruce E. Whitacre

Scott Wiggerman - Shannon K. Winston - Elizabeth S. Wolf - Michael T. Young - Yvonne Zipter