Writing Poetry

Handbooks, advice, and inspiration for writing and loving poetry.

Updated March 5, 2026
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Finger exercises for poets
Laux, Dorianne
Paper Book
An illuminating book of concise craft essays and exercises for poets, from Pulitzer Prize finalist and The Poet's Companion coauthor Dorianne Laux. From "a poet of immense insight and masterful craft" (Kwame Dawes), Finger Exercises for Poets is an engaging and...
The essential poet's glossary
Hirsch, Edward
Paper Book
A Poet's Glossary was an extraordinary achievement that continues to stand as a definitive source for poets and poetry lovers alike. Here, The Essential Poet's Glossary gleans the very best from that extraordinary volume. "An instant classic that belongs on the bookshelf...
Fear less : poetry in perilous times
Smith, Tracy K.
Paper Book
A Pulitzer Prize-winning poet reveals how poetry is a powerful tool of connection and understanding in a fractured world. Drawing on deep passion and personal experience, former US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith demystifies the art form that has too often been mischaracterized as...
Catching the light
Harjo, Joy
Paper Book
National Humanities Medalist and U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo examines the power of words and how poetry summons us toward justice and healing   "Her enduring message--that writing can be redemptive--resonates: 'To write is to make a mark in the world, to...
A primer for poets & readers of poetry
Orr, Gregory
Paper Book
A Primer for Poets and Readers of Poetry guides the young poet toward a deeper understanding of how poetry can function in his or her life, while also introducing the art in an exciting new way. Using such poems as Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz" and Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays,"...
Singing school : learning to write (and read) poetry by studying with the masters
Pinsky, Robert.
Paper Book
Quick, joyful, and playfully astringent, with surprising comparisons and examples, this collection takes an unconventional approach to the art of poetry. Instead of rules, theories, or recipes, Singing School emphasizes ways to learn from great work: studying magnificent, monumentally...
A poetry handbook
Oliver, Mary
Paper Book
"Mary Oliver would probably never admit to anything so grandiose as an effort to connect the conscious mind and the heart (that's what she says poetry can do), but that is exactly what she accomplishes in this stunning little handbook."--Los Angeles Times From the beloved...
Rhyme's rooms : the architecture of poetry
Leithauser, Brad
Paper Book
From the widely acclaimed poet, novelist, critic, and scholar, a lucid and edifying exploration of the building blocks of poetry and how they've been used over the centuries to assemble the most imperishable poems. "Anyone wanting to learn how to remodel, restore, or build a poem...

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