11-21-2011, 03:48 AM
I swear by Stephen Fry's The Ode Less Travelled - I have three copies because some of my children didn't liaise last Christmas and all thought I would like a copy.
Another book I stumbled upon is 'How to be well versed in poetry' edited by E.O. Parrott which I love since it contains poetry by amateurs written in response to various literary challenges from newspapers such as The New Statesman, or the Spectator. It is very funny, but educational as well. I particularly like the section which rather than explaining what a 'spondee' is, for example, prints a poem -
Milk-cart
Slow sleet, still street, far beat huge feet.
Clip-clop, start-stop, ear-flop, turd-drop,
Pint-take, gate-shake, sleep-break, house-wake;
Short stay, stamp, neigh,; on way - new day
try to get hold of a copy if you can.
Another book I stumbled upon is 'How to be well versed in poetry' edited by E.O. Parrott which I love since it contains poetry by amateurs written in response to various literary challenges from newspapers such as The New Statesman, or the Spectator. It is very funny, but educational as well. I particularly like the section which rather than explaining what a 'spondee' is, for example, prints a poem -
Milk-cart
Slow sleet, still street, far beat huge feet.
Clip-clop, start-stop, ear-flop, turd-drop,
Pint-take, gate-shake, sleep-break, house-wake;
Short stay, stamp, neigh,; on way - new day
try to get hold of a copy if you can.