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Writing Poetry: Creative and Critical Approaches (Approaches to Writing)

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Davidson and Fraser's central argument (that you can't have good poetry without a solid understanding of criticism--and vice versa) bolsters their fundamental belief in the creative rigor that being either a poet or a critic requires. Their nuts-and-bolts calisthenics strengthen the mechanisms of the craft through analyzing and emulating the poetic techniques of both legends and learners. Rather than being a stolid poetry-writing book, this text will appeal to anyone interested in establishing, developing, or honing his or her creative writing skills.

In this detailed guide to writing poetry, Chad Davidson and Greg Fraser--each accomplished poets and professors in their own right--pull back the curtain and give light on the process of writing behind strong poetry. With examples from Eliot, Frost, Dickinson, and students, they illustrate a broad spectrum of the genre and explain the work that goes into writing strong poetry. Through illustrating necessary writing habits, providing engaging exercises, and critically analyzing existing poetry, Davidson and Fraser show what strong writing looks like, how one critically converses with it, and how it is that you get there yourself. This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in poetry, whether it be in writing it, analyzing it, or simply reading it.