Poetry for Beginners

For Beginners

by Margaret Chapman, Kathleen Welton

Poetry is one of those subjects almost impossible to define as it can be so many things at once. It can be: kids whispering limericks on the playground; secret languages used by revolutionaries and spies; or the written strength of oppressed people. Poetry is how millions of people across time have used language to try to better understand love, hate, war, religion, oppression, joy, sorrow, sex, and death.
Poetry is one of the oldest forms of writing in the world, yet also constantly evolving. Despite its complexities, poetry is probably the way most people learned how to read. Poetry for Beginners is a fun, lively, and accessible guide, and expands one's understanding and knowledge of poetry through the ages.
From ancient Greece to the present, Poetry for Beginners traces the wonders of the written word and shows how it is relevant in daily life. 

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Writing

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Teck Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to the different styles, periods, and personas of poetry. A great walk through history.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book to see if it would be useful for teaching, and it is. I used the second chapter, "Getting at the Meaning of Poems," with my high school English students. I really like how she breaks it down into the look, sound, and sense of a poem, and "Some Questions to Ask a Poem" on p. 118 offers a user-friendly way to go about analysis. There are also a few good creative writing prompts in here and some specific strategies for revision.

DISCLAIMER: The edition I bought has a deplorable number of typos! I don't mean just some. Almost every page has a really stupid error like inappropriate apostrophe usage, the/they mix ups, and verbs that don't match their sentences, like "This book has hopefully give you..." At first, I thought I was going crazy, seeing things that weren't there; after awhile, the accumulation just seemed unprofessional and detracted from the book. I know the it came out in 2010, but it's not like this is a publisher's galley or some other not-quite-final form.

[Elevate Difference · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I, too, dislike it,” begins chapter one.

I remember sitting in class, words like “iambic pentameter” and “consonance” swirling about the room like an intolerable fly drunk on the stuffy classroom air. These words were important, we were told. To understand poetry, we needed to know the rules. And say we did learn the rules, well, we were sixteen-year-old kids and certainly not capable of unraveling the true meaning of a poem. Teacher’s pet and I didn’t even try to feign interest.

Ten years later, I’ve decided to give it another go. Fortunately for me and anyone else who picks up this book, Poetry for Beginners offers readers a fresh and forward guide to understanding and creating poetry. The book effectively contradicts most everything I was taught about the subject in high school—and that’s good news. Poetry is for everyone. Poetry is everywhere. It is more than words and rules. It transcends language and convention, and is a means through which we can better experience and comprehend the human condition. We don’t need to be a scholar to gain something valuable.

At first glance, this guide is tailored to a younger audience. The language is clear-cut, the chapters easy to get through, and the ink illustrations abundant. But in fact, Poetry for Beginners holds the potential to spark anyone’s curiosity for the written word and encourages us to create our own poetry. Not only is the guide accessible, it is comprehensive and inclusive. The book highlights a diverse selection of poets and minority movements, yet also includes a general foundation of must-read authors and their work.

The poems of Homer, Shakespeare, and Dickinson are set alongside those of Dr. Seuss, Public Enemy, and Leonard Cohen. Authors Margaret Chapman and Kathleen Welton explain what poetry is and who it is for. They do away with the top-down method of teaching and dismantle condescending assumptions about who can read and write poetry. This engaging guide fluently decodes poetic form and structure without inundating readers with unnecessary details. The informal voice and numerous poems allow readers to interact with the texts in new and inventive ways. The book concisely navigates through the history of poetry from ancient Greece to present as it simultaneously contextualizes poetry and reveals its timelessness.

Poetry for Beginners illuminates how one of the oldest forms of writing continues to be significant today. Rich and resourceful, this guide puts poetry within easy reach of anyone looking to learn more. Now, if only we could offer it in high schools.

Review by Sofia Marin

[BAYA Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teens will be inspired to explore the gift of poetry while reading this book. It not only contains a very accessible history of poetry from ancient Greece to the present, but it also contains illustrations similar to the style of a graphic novel. The beautiful cover and the graphics should draw in teen readers and help them maintain a focus on a subject that some may find unexciting. A few lines cited from major works provide a wonderful sampling of poems from different cultures and periods of history. For example, teens will read lines from Emily Dickinson and then about ten pages later come across Hip Hop rapper Mos Def’s lyrical poetry. The last section then challenges and instructs the reader on how to create their poetry. Poetry For Beginners is a welcome alternative to the many dry texts available on the subject and would make a great addition to any YA collection.

[Natashaketel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great informative, simple read with beautiful illustrations

[Michael Kitchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this introduction
helps to explain poetry
- reading and writing.

i enjoyed and will
revisit as required
while writing my own.

[Margaret Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most books about writing poetry I have read, I found it focused more on reading poetry. YMMV

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book.
It's worth a second look.

Okay, I'll stop rhyming. The two things I liked most about this book were its readability and intriguing illustrations. The book is written on a level so that high school students could pick it up and understand it. The ink illustrations are marvelous and help the book go by fast. I will use excerpts from this book to teach my creative writing students. Although I have read and studied poetry since college and am now in my 7th year of teaching, I learned a few new things from this book, including the new L-A-N-G-U-A-G-E movement. I'm knocking off one star because the book was obviously rushed since it includes a high number of typos and grammatical errors.

[Bryan Neuschwander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic introduction to poetry. A nice place to meet outstanding poets, discover poetry's power to expose and shape the world, and find ways to express yourself through poetry. If you've ever detested poetry (like me), or never imagined you could write any (like me), check this book out. It could be a date of destiny.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable history of poetry with many good examples and drawings. I really enjoyed it and have started writing poetry again! (It has probably been about 20 years since my last bout of potry writing!)

[Colette Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to the different types of poetry with examples. I loved the explanations and examples. I used some of the definitions and examples in my first grade class although most of it was more complex.

[Con Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

If it weren't for all the appalling spelling and grammatic errors this book would have had a better rating. It is a great intro. Not very in depth, but good for beginners.

[Pia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up to see if it could be a teaching tool but it's a poorly executed good idea. Lots of typos and grammatical errors.