How to Write Classical Poetry

Book excerpt: For the student, poet, or teacher, this book presents what is great and wonderful about poetry past and present. It includes easily approachable, relevant, and enchanting (with rhyme and meter) poetry and analysis; a comprehensive guide to poetry forms, including the sonnet, haiku, villanelle, limerick, and more; AP English questions for high school teachers; an in-depth look at how classical poetry works; ten of the greatest poems ever written, including Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18," Donne's "Death Be Not Proud," and Wordsworth's "Daffodils"; a guide to writing a poem like Poe's "Raven"; and much more. Whether you are someone who has never written a word of poetry or are an old hand at versification, this is an indispensable volume.