Handbook of Poetic Forms (Paperback)

by Ron Padgett (Editor) "Dame Edith Sitwell (1887-1964) used the term abstract to describe the poems in her book Facade..." (more)
Key Phrases: ten audiocassettes, insult poem, walk poems, New York, Ezra Pound, Frank O'Hara (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A small wonder." -- Poetry Project Newsletter

"A treasure." -- Kliatt

"This colorful and entertaining reference work is what can what can happen when those who practice and preach poetry..." -- Teaching English in the Two-Year College --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
A reference guide to various forms of poetry with entries arranged in alphabetical order. Each entry defines the form and gives its history, examples, and suggestions for usage. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Teachers & Writers Collaborative (September 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915924234
• ISBN-13: 978-0915924233
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #331,940 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for writers as well as teachers!, November 25, 1998

By A Customer

This book is my favorite poetry handbook--and I have several--because it covers so many forms in such an clear, undry (i.e. entertaining) way. It's fun to read. I've taught poetry writing at about 40 elementary schools through the Writers in the Schools programs and children's literature at the University of Iowa. The Handbook gives a passel of forms that can be used with kids of all ages. In the children's lit class, the book was a means of showing the wide variety of forms. The undergrad students in that class, most of whom weren't that familiar with poetry, were dazzled by all the possibilities that the book opened up. As a writer, I enjoy reading about the different forms and examples. You can try writing in one of the forms, or try making up a new form based on forms in the book. Either way, you learn, you enjoy, you think, and you write, thanks to the Handbook.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the Best Poetry Handbook, March 7, 2005

By	Jennifer Siegel "Jennifer Semple Siegel" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Teachers and Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms (Paperback)

No adequate superlative exists for this poetry handbook--simply the best on the market. Rarely does a writing handbook work for all age groups, but this solid one does. Even elementary teachers could use some of the poetic forms, such as couplets, haiku, and nonsense poems, for their classes, and, yet, professional writers can dip into this densely rich (yet compact) volume and pull out an appropriate form from the 75+ forms offered.

I have used this handbook for my college creative writing classes since 1998; as writing fads come and go, this poetry handbook endures because it offers a simple, yet interesting, approach to writing poetry: a short history of the form; a brief explanation on how the form works; when appropriate, a sample poem (or verses) showing the form in action; and, in some cases, a diagram for the more complicated forms, such as the sestina and pantoum.

Semester after semester, my students praise this book, and many decide to keep it for their libraries, instead of reselling it to the college bookstore. I keep searching, but I have not been able to find its fiction handbook counterpart. Ron Padgett has done a fine job of compiling the forms, researching their histories, and finding stellar sample poems to show how the forms work. I hope this handbook NEVER goes out of print!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars this is a great reference (for all ages), February 6, 2000

By	kcm (Fort Lauderdale, FL USA) - See all my reviews

this is a great book: well written; comprehensive but not encylopedic; engaging and entertaining. it was intended for junior or senior high school students and some of it's suggetions and examples reflect that BUT please don't let that stop you from buying it. it is simultaneously a good introduction to poetic forms (and poetry in general), a quick reference for the more advanced student, and a source of inspiration for practicing poets.