The Roar on the Other Side: A Guide for Student Poets By Suzanne Underwood Rhodes
An informative guide on how to write poetry! It tackles a rather abstract subject that could lead to many disagreements over its methodology, but all the little examples were delightful to read and it gave me a more concrete path to playing with words in a format than I would've been able to do on my own. The prompts/exercises didn't always fit, and my classmates and I often deviated from them but they served as satisfactory starting points for pondering and attempts to communicate the humorous or the sublime via the tricky yet malleable interface of language. 190 Before this book I really had no idea where to go with poetry or even what kind of poetry I wanted to write, but this book is so well written and laid out that by the end you are not only more aware of the kind of poetry you want to write, but also how to write it. 190 Poetry is something that a lot of people are scared of. Whether it be the different arrangement of the English language or its reputation as a purely academic art, very few have the drive to read, study, or write poetry. That’s a real shame, and that’s what the author of this book sets out to disprove. Partly, it’s a guide to the structure and appreciation of poetry, and partly a primer on the basics of writing it. The coolest thing about it is its insistence that poetry is just the elevation of the ordinary details of life, and it really trains and encourages you to foster a sense of marvel at the world. It is written from a Christian perspective, but there is nothing extraneous or “preachy” in the content, and regardless of worldview; it is a wonderful and fresh approach to one of the most accessible arts. 190 An excellent guide with many helpful reminders. 190 As a homeschool parent and teacher of homeschooled high schoolers, this has been an immensely helpful resource. I especially like the “stepping stones,” which invite students to begin writing poetry in a very non-threatening manner. Many students and their parents have shared that poetry was “a lot more fun “ than they had expected it to be. 190
I read this. And I still write lousy poetry. But that's just me. 190 School book but it was pretty good 190 I did review this, but that was when I was about halfway in.
My halfway in review:
I used to get so confused as to writing poetry, and give up after writing a line or two. This book has helped me to develop a love for poetry, and I can understand how to write it so much better now!
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That was halfway in. So you can probably tell that reading it all the way through was even more helpful! I loved all the example poems in this book, and Mrs. Rhodes's explanations were just so prosey and easy to grasp. I think I've read each chapter three times. And I'll read each of them again.
If you're having trouble with poetry, or you're already good at poetry, but you want to get better: READ THIS BOOK! 190 A helpful guide for students that is not overwhelming. Teachers can easily pull creative assignments from it too. It reminded me very much of Mary Oliver's Rules for the Dance. 190 I read this book for school for my poetry seminar, and though I think it would be fun and useful to those who want to learn to write poetry, I found it rather tedious. I did, however, liked that I learned a lot more stylistic terms and their definitions. Some of the exercises were fun, and I learned more about writing and structure in terms of poetry. I am glad that I read this book and that I am now writing poetry, even if it is for school.
I would recommend this to those who are just starting to write poetry. Plus, the title is pretty cool. 190
For all its storied past and lofty reputation, poetry is really just the art of noticing, naming, and comparing the stuff of this world. Unlike the eye of modern science (which sees the world as a giant specimen for us to dissect), poetry fosters and nurtures life by finding wonder in the nooks and crannies of ordinary life. Suzanne Rhodes, a longtime poet and teacher, offers The Roar on the Other Side as an introductory guide for students (junior high and up). Clear and imaginative, this book makes poetry approachable. Focusing on the importance of sight and the necessity of practice, Rhodes easily communicates the joy of words to her readers and helps them see how good poetry binds all seemingly-contradictory things together. Students will emerge from this book with a good handle on the basics of writing poetry and a new appreciation for the awesome world in which we live. The Roar on the Other Side: A Guide for Student Poets