Next Word, Better Word The Craft of Writing Poetry

by Dobyns, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780230621800
• ISBN10: 0230621805
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-04-26
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary

This accessible writer's guide provides a helpful framework for creating poetry and navigates contemporary concerns and practices. Stephen Dobyns, author of the classic book on the beauty of poetry,Best Words, Best Ordermoves into new terrain in this remarkable book. Bringing years of experience to bear on issues such as subject matter, the mechanics of poetry, and the revision process, Dobyns explores the complex relationship between writers and their work. From Philip Larkin to Pablo Neruda to William Butler Yeats, every chapter reveals useful lessons in these renowned poets' work. Both enlightening and encouraging,Next Word, Better Worddemystifies a subtle art form and shows writers how to overcome obstacles in the creative process.

Author Biography

Stephen Dobyns is the author of over 30 novels and poetry collections, including The Church of the Dead Girls, Cold Dog Soup, and Cemetery Nights. Among his many honors and awards are a Melville Cane Award, Pushcart Prizes, a National Poetry Series prize, and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships. His novels have been translated into 20 languages and his poetry has appeared in the Best American Poems anthology. Dobyns teaches creative writing at Warren Wilson College and has taught at Stanford University, The University of lowa, Sarah Lawrence College, and Boston University, among others.

Table of Contents

introduction	p. 1
approaching subject matter	p. 9
joining form and content	p. 25
reconciling paradox	p. 47
aspects of the syllable	p. 69
line breaks	p. 89
context and causality	p. 111
a sense of space	p. 127
closure	p. 147
revision	p. 171
moral inquiry	p. 187
bearing witness	p. 205
counterpoint	p. 219
the nature of metaphor	p. 235
glossary	p. 263
permissions	p. 265
notes	p. 267
index	p. 275
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