June Poetry Discussion

Chapter 6 of A Poet's Craft

This chapter of A Poet’s Craft moves us into Part II of the book, into “Making Poems: Sense and Sound.”

(This is also a chapter for prose folks, too—anyone who finds themselves too often struggling with the “show-don’t-tell” bugbear.)

Finch opens the chapter with a reminder that in poetry “imagery” is not just about the visual: “an imagine in poetry means any information that is understood through the five senses… it is often through the use of specific sensual images that literature can touch a reader’s emotions most directly.” Read slowly through the examples in this opening paragraph—photo above.

Finch speaks to the need to take your time with writing with imagery.

“Dwell, linger, stay.”