Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out [Paperback]

Ralph Fletcher (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Maybe you've heard before that poetry is magic, and it made you roll your eyes, but I believe it's true. Poetry matters. At the most important moments, when everyone else is silent, poetry rises to speak.

I wrote this book to help you write poems and to give practical ideas for making your poems sound the way you want them to sound. We're not going to smash poems up into the tiniest pieces. This book is about writing poetry, not analyzing it. I want this book to help you have more wonderful. moments in the poetry you write. I want you to feel the power of poetry. it's my hope that through this book you will discover lots of ways to make your poems shine, sing, soar...

-- Ralph Fletcher

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Throw out the formidable rhythm and rhyme schemes: Ralph Fletcher's Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out laughs in the face of formality. Organized into two sections "Lighting the Spark" and "Nurturing the Flame" and peppered with interviews with published poets, Fletcher's accessible volume teaches kids to write poetry from the heart.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-A concise, nuts-and-bolts guide to creating poetry. The book begins by defining poems as "emotional X-rays" that seek to delve into a person's inner being. Chapters deal with images; creating "music," or sounds and rhythms; how to generate ideas for poems; the construction of the words on the page; and more. Tips on fine-tuning are also given, from experimenting with wordplay to finding a voice and narrowing the focus of a piece. Major poetic forms are defined, including haiku, ode, and free verse, and there is a section on ways to share your work. Interspersed are Fletcher's personal insights and interviews with three poets-Kristine O'Connell George, Janet S. Wong, and J. Patrick Lewis-who discuss what inspires them and how they go about creating their work. The many examples of poetry throughout embody the author's advice by showing how writing techniques actually function in poems. Since this thought-provoking book covers more of the internal, less-tangible aspects of poetry, it may be more suited for readers who have some experience with the genre.
Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition (Unsta edition (February 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380797038
• ISBN-13: 978-0380797035
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Writing > Poetry
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Reference & Nonfiction > Language Arts > Composition & Creative Writing
  • #11 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Poetry > General

More About the Author

Ralph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.

Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for older kids and adults, October 10, 2005

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Book in hand at all times "PEDAGOG" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out (Paperback)

I really enjoyed the details in this book about from where poetry stems. I loved the idea of just watching the wolrd around you and seeing if a poem somes to you. It does! My only concern is the book uses language that would be too difficult for the average 5th-6th grader to understand. I like that poems from kids are included, but this book seems more appropriate for a teacher to reach and intergrate into his/her curriculum.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars roses are red...., January 7, 2009

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Tonna00 (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out (Paperback)

I bought this for my 9 yr old daughter who loves writing poetry...Weird I know, but she has seemed to enjoy reading this to get ideas and proper forms...

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a Great Book for learning how to write poetry!, June 19, 2004

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Rose Hill "rosehill_32" (Nacogdoches, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out (Paperback)

Hi, I really enjoyed reading Ralph Fletcher's book "Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the inside out." He gives lots of good examples. He has interviews with two other poets in the book for ideas on poetry. He makes poetry interesting and fun to learn! I also enjoyed his poetry!