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

~ (Author)

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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (February 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380797038
• ISBN-13: 978-0380797035
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,971 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( F ) > Fletcher, Ralph
  #6 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Writing
  #8 in	Books > Children's Books > Reference & Nonfiction > Language Arts > Composition & Creative Writing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

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

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

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:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring book will make you want to write poetry even if you haven't ever done that, March 3, 2008

By	Kathy Peterson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As usual, Ralph Fletcher makes you itch to put pencil to paper and write, write, write.

11 of 16 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

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

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!