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“wonderful…demystifies poetry for all.” —Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Shakespeare mingles with Sappho, Beowulf meets the
Brownings, Walt Whitman whirls with Anne Waldman…
New York, NY–It’s the poetry party of the century—make that of the last five
millenniums—and everyone’s invited! In Poetry For Dummies® readers will discover
poetry and poets from every era—and from all ends of the earth—mix and mingle in
this remarkable book on all things poetry.
Poetry For Dummies is written by the highly respected Poetry Center at San Francisco
State University and poets and writers John Timpane and Maureen Watts. The authors
discuss everything from the beginnings of oral storytelling and ancient Greek verse,
ballads and sonnets and other traditional forms, political poetry through the ages, the
poems of the modernists, to the work of today’s global poets. From Chaucer to Chiyo,
Basho to Bishop, Lord Byron to Audre Lorde, the book covers a lot of ground and has
something for every literary taste.
Poetry For Dummies is divided into five major parts, including sections on reading and
understanding poetry, the history of world poetry, and writing poetry. Readers can go
directly to the sections that interest them most and use the book as a handy reference
guide. Highlights of the book include:
 An historic overview of poetry—5,000 years of verse from around the world
 Tips on the pleasures and benefits of reading poetry aloud
 Tips on how to interpret poems, including reading older poetry and why it still
matters
 The nuts and bolts of a poem—from rhyme and meter to narration and tone
 Discovering your own writing style: exercises for writing traditional and free verse
poems
 Tips on meeting other poets, going public with your poems, and seeking publication
---cont.---

2. Throughout, the book includes photos of poets as well as poetic anecdotes which
provide bits of literary lore and glimpses of the idiosyncrasies and intrigues in the lives
of the poets.
Like all For Dummies books, it includes “The Part of Tens” (Ten Myths About Poets and
Poetry, Ten Poems Worth Memorizing, and Ten Love Poems). In addition, there are
appendixes with a glossary of poetic terms, a timeline of important poetry events
throughout history, and a resource guide of suggested poetry books and magazines,
major poetry events nationwide, literary organizations, and a sampling of Web sites of
interest to poetry lovers.
From the verse of the first known poet, Enheduanna, to the work of today’s
experimental poets, Poetry For Dummies is for students of poetry, those who want to
learn more about the history of world poetry, aspiring poets needing a handy resource
guide, and anyone who wants to take a fun and educational spin through the
enchanting world of poetry.
About the Authors
The Poetry Center & American Poetry Archives at San Francisco State University was founded in
1954 on the basis of a gift by W.H. Auden. The Center presents readings by poets, novelists, and other
writers, sponsors awards, and houses a renowned poetry archive, including videotaped readings by
many of the great writers of the past half-century.
John Timpane was graduated from Stanford University with an MA and PhD in English and the
Humanities in 1980. He taught English in colleges and universities for 20 years, and is the author of
Writing Worth Reading, It Could Be Verse: Anybody’s Guide to Poetry, and other titles. A prize-winning
poet, John lives in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, with his wife and two children. He is the Commentary
Page Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer and has been a guest on National Public Radio programs.
Maureen Watts is a writer, publicist, and literary agent. A long-time poetry activist, she was president
of Small Press Traffic Literary Arts Center and is on the board of directors of the National Poetry
Association in San Francisco, California.
Poetry For Dummies®
by The Poetry Center at San Francisco State University and John Timpane with Maureen Watts
ISBN: 0-7645-5272-4, 366 pages
$19.99 US / $29.99 Canada
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Poetry For Dummies is for students of poetry, those who want to learn more about the history of world poetry, aspiring poets
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