A poetry Handbook --by Mary Oliver

Nonfiction / a prose guide to understanding and writing poetry

130 pages

5 Stars

I love Mary Oliver's poetry, so when I came across this book, I couldn't wait to read it. I frequently found myself having to go back and re-read a passage—not, I hasten to add, because it was not crystal clear the first time, but because I would get a few paragraphs on and suddenly realize she meant THAT instead of THIS and I'd go back and re-read just to be sure.

I would love to have taken a class from Ms. Oliver. Since that can never be, this book is as close as I'll ever get. If she was as approachable as her book, it would have been marvelous. 

If you are a poet or an aspiring poet, I highly recommend this book. It will give you much information without intimidating you. In fact, I think you'll find yourself reading it for the sheer pleasure of reading it, not because of a feeling of 'should read' but 'want to' read.