Don't Read Poetry: A Book About How to Read Poems Hardcover – May 21, 2019

Author presents her point of view with many examples. But her chapters are so long, and often dull, that it is easy to lose interest before the end. I used this book for a class. I probably would not have read it on my own.

Excellent book. She describes poetry terms and then has a poem to punt out what she is talking about.

I'm a poetry reader not writer. The sort of person that wants to look at one poem a day. Like religious inspirational stuff.But once in a while I'll buy poetry and read a gob of it. Really enjoyable. Especially mixed with everything we can read today --books, internet. I expected this "Don't read poetry..." to be kind of boring. I don't know why I bought the Kindle of it. But I really like reading a few pages now and then. Really. So far very enjoyable. :)

This is the dream book that I have been looking for for years. A kind of introduction that does not limit itself to the discussion of forms. It opens up various ways or perspectives to read and love various poems. For some of the modern and contemporary poems I have been struggled with, the book sheds light on them, especially in the chapter of “difficulty.” It places ancient and modern and contemporary in certain contexts and demonstrates how they converse with each other as various communities.

I'm grateful to get to read this book, and to have it to turn back to. It's shown me how to think more carefully about why I like the poems that I do, and has invited me to do that thinking as a way to nurture my interest and approach the unfamiliar (and intimidating) in poems with a curiosity that informs me. It was a joy to read, beautifully written.

This book is engaging and well written. The author brings the work written about, to life. It gives you a way to understand poems, unlocking the riches of a vast range of work

It has words and that’s what they promised

Articulate and thoughtful approach that is accessible to the poetry and non-poetry reader. Presents ideas that one can hold onto.