Ordinary Genius

February 1, 2009
"Poetry isn't what we think of as the ordinary, but what we feel and sense is underneath the ordinary," writes Addonizio (coauthor, "The Poet's Companion"), who is anything but ordinary, as her previous works of poetry and fiction (e.g., "Tell Me"; "Little Beauties"; "What Is This Thing Called Love?") attest. Here, she offers a way in for new poets struggling to unfold the images and phrases inside their heads and a way out for waylaid poets suffering through unwanted extended hiatuses. She stresses journal writing, of course, and mandates that poets read works from established poets to help jump-start their own poems. In addition, Addonizio suggests numerous instructive and fun exercises to trigger ideas for poetrye.g., creating poems about photos one missed taking; exaggerating the features of common objects; writing a celebration about sex (yes, she loves Whitman); playing with riddles and extended metaphors; and injecting humor into serious poems and vice versa. These exercises traverse the entire text, each chapter highlighting a different facet of poetry. Appendixes list recommended readings and online poetry resources. For poet-patrons of both public and academic libraries.Nedra Crowe-Evers, Sonoma Cty. Lib., CA

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