But knowledge by itself means nothing. That knowledge has to be applied, developed into an individual voice, made appropriate to the poem concerned. Technique is not a final shaping, but a way of working, something that governs how a poet even responds to the first yearnings of creation.
Techniques also have histories of use, and political affiliations.
What's acceptable to one poetry magazine may be anathema to another. These issues and their many ramifications are explored in this section, which develops slowly from broad surveys into questions of poetry craft. What poetry editors look for. Methods of working. The importance of the fresh, authentic and distinctive rather than merely original.