A Poetry Handbook

There’s something special about a poet teaching poetry. Mary Oliver, one of the most beloved voices in American verse, opens the door to her craft in this slim, generous handbook—an invitation to anyone who has ever wondered how a poem actually works.

As the Los Angeles Times put it: “Mary Oliver would probably never admit to anything so grandiose as an effort to connect the conscious mind and the heart (that’s what she says poetry can do), but that is exactly what she accomplishes in this stunning little handbook.”

With warmth, wit, and decades of hard-earned wisdom, Oliver walks readers through the building blocks of a poem—meter and rhyme, form and diction, sound and sense. Along the way, she draws on the work of Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, and other masters to show how the magic actually happens on the page.

It’s part guide, part quiet conversation with a brilliant friend. Whether you’re a working poet, a curious beginner, or simply a reader who wants to understand why certain lines lodge themselves in your memory, this book delivers.

We love recommending this one to folks who wander in off the footbridge, coffee in hand, asking where to start with poetry. The answer is almost always: right here.

A trade paperback that fits beautifully in a tote bag, a beach chair, or a sunny windowsill. Perfect for slow mornings, salty afternoons, and anyone who suspects there’s more to a poem than meets the eye.

An essential addition to any poetry-lover’s shelf.

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