Mike, Steve Kowit's In the Palm of Your Hand is fun.

Janice,

You wrote: That's another thread, Mike, put it up and we'll talk about the prejudices of both camps.

Thank you for the invite but I did start a thread on that topic and regretted it. (It found it vain and self-serving upon reflection, a common progression in my case.)

Best,
Slipp

P.S. You have your discussion. Check out the "Clive James in Poetry" thread on "Discerning Eye."

[This message has been edited by Mike Slippkauskas (edited September 04, 2008).]

Mike, another recommendation for Steve Kowit's In the Palm of Your Hand. Apart from being fun, as Jennifer notes, it is also an admirable handbook for the aspiring poet. I also find his choice of poems a delight.

He does include a couple of chapters on metrical poetry, the first a basic introduction around the middle of the book (done quite well, I thought), but then he more or less ignores it until well towards the end, where he has another chapter on it which is rather more advanced - some serious "extra-curriculum" work required there, I'd say!

Duncan

Thanks, everyone. I hadn't heard about the Kowit--I'll check it out.

I'm on the faculty for a samll conference and I can't fairly cover just formal poetry.