Broken Lines - The Art & Craft of Poetry

The goal of this book is to enable poets at all stages of development to move from their current stage or plateau on to the next level in cultivating a unique voice and poetic music. This book encourages the student of poetry to entertain a kind of Zen consciousness, a “Beginner’s Mind”—for that is the only way to continue serenely in the business of writing poems. The work is cognizant of the fact that most often, if you ask a person why they write poetry, the answer will be “Because I have no choice.” This text can be used by a poet on his or her own, or it can become a tool in the classroom. BL contains chapters on theory and practice. Whether one is a beginning writer, has been writing for years and never taken a class, or has published work in journal and/or book form, Broken Lines includes content to propel the writing life forward. Judith Skillman, author of Broken Lines...