The Art of Poetry: How to Read a Poem
Wolosky's guide is designed to introduce readers to poetry, the  art form she calls "verbal music." In 14 chapters, she defines  the small units of poetic form word, line, and image before  moving into larger definitions of verse form and voice. The book  includes a two-chapter discussion of the sonnet's form and  history, as well as a discussion of gender as an element of  analysis. To illustrate her theses, Wolosky (English and  American literature, Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem; Language  Mysticism) interprets poems by Shakespeare, Donne, Blake,  Wordsworth, Dickinson, Frost, and Plath, as well as many other  often-anthologized poets. The glossary is a useful reference  tool, but the overall tone, while accessible, is academic, and a  more contemporary listing of poets would have been better for  the novice. General readers and poetry lovers will be better  served by a good anthology, such as Elise Paschen and Rebekah  Presson Mosby's Poetry Speaks (LJ 10/15/01). Recommended for  academic libraries only. Pam Kingsbury, Florence, ALCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.