This week I thought it might be nice to take a look at my poetry toolbox. As of yet, I have not really spoken about the craft of poetry. At some point, I would love to delve into my views about poetry and how it relates to something started long ago and how that ties into my voice as a poet. But this week we will simply look at the tools I use on a regular basis. Savvy readers may see a pattern and how this relates to the larger topic.
Artists of all sorts have toolboxes–painters collect brushes and paint, pottery sculptors various chisels and cutters to mark the clay, woodworkers chisels, hammers and saws. Yet, if you were to look into the toolbox of two painters you might not find the same set of brushes.This isn’t to say that there won’t be commonality between two artists but how they engender their art is distinct. Abstractly, you can look at their tools as a manifestation of their unfocused voice.
Poets have toolboxes as well. Being a craft endemic to words, all poets obviously should have a dictionary (or two) and thesaurus. I will also argue that all poets should have a rhyming dictionary at their disposal as well. Finally, I think it is important to have a solid single volume collection of poetry to serve as examples of the craft done well–something Nortonish. But these are the common tools that you will (should) find in every poet’s box..
Here we depart into the tools that I use that may be unique as compared to another poet’s kit. These are the works and how to manuals I use or taught me how to work my craft better.
Poetry Foundation
I list this resource first because it can almost complete a poet’s toolbox on it’s own. Established in 2003 out of the former Modern Poetry Association, the Poetry Foundation seeks to elevate the distinction of poetry and put poetry before the largest audience possible. Not only are they a wonderful resource for poetry to read, but there is a huge selection of essays and articles about the craft of poetry. Even better, they update on a regular basis, making it a resource I find myself frequent often. It is easy to spend hours on the site either reading poetry or about poetry and fills the collected volume of work need in any kit.
For those on the go, they also have a free app which I encourage anyone who loves poetry to download. It is updated regularly and is wonderful for those times you need a quick fix.
Art of Writing Poetry by William Packard
This has been my nuts and bolts writing manual for as long as I have considered myself a poet. Written by William Packard, founder and editor of The New York Quarterly, a national magazine devoted to the craft of poetry, the book was created to help poets with their craft and art and to improve deficiencies in sound, metrics, form, voice, and quality. The book will teach you how to write every form of poetry and also has useful information on the business end.
The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser
Written by former U.S. Poet Laureate, Ted Kooser, this manual has influenced the way I approach editing poetry. It has practical advice for beginning and seasoned poets alike. Especially nice are his use of modern examples illustrating his instruction.
The Common Tools
Here are links to the various common tools–dictionaries and such, that I use. Before such resources were easily available online, I lugged around the volumes but have found online resources more convenient for my needs. That being said, be careful with only using one source. While most word meanings have changed little over time, it is the subtle variation of etymology that poets feed off of to add depth to their works. Some dictionaries illustrate these differences better than others. Do be not afraid to source other dictionaries when needed.
Dictionary.com and Thesuarus.com
These are the two easy to use resources I use when I need to look up a quick word. Webster has an online dictionary as well, but I like the layout of Dictionary.com better. Also, Dictionary.com has a free app version if you need to be mobile.
Merriam-Webster’s Rhyming Dictionary
I actually use the older volume of this, which also had “Compact” in the title. However, this is the current version of the same book. Small, easy to carry and filled with rhymes, which is great when you have to find six different rhymes for love in your villanelle (and before you think this is easy, take out all the words and phrases that use “love” and “of” because rhyming love with love is gauche).
I hope you find these resources useful and interesting. Even if you do not write poetry, I highly recommend visiting the Poetry Foundation site just for the amazing collection of poetry they offer up to the world.
As a final aside, I would also like to recognize Joan Mccormick, who I knew as Aunty. You will not find her listed among famous poets, but she hands down taught me more about poetry than anything or anyone else. We had lost touch over the years and my last search for her brought up a disturbing obituary notice. However, she inspired me to master the craft using wit and fun and it is from her that I learned the art of the battle sonnet.
Beachpoet 