{"product_id":"on-poetry-and-craft-selected-prose-writing-re-writing","title":"On Poetry and Craft: Selected Prose (Writing Re: Writing)","description":"\"One of the virtues of good poetry is the fact that it irritates the mediocre.\"\nTheodore Roethke was one of the most famous and outspoken poets and poetry teachers this country has ever known. In this volume of selected prose, Roethke articulates his commitments to imaginative possibilities, offers tender advice to young writers, and zings darts at stuffed shirts, lightweights and fools.\n\"Art is our defense against hysteria and death.\"\nWith the assistance of Roethke's widow, this volume has been edited to include the finest selections from out of print collections of prose and journal entries. Focused on the making and teaching of poetry,On Poetry and Craft will be prized in the classroom-and outrageous Roethke quotes will once again pepper our conversations.\n\"You must believe a poem is a holy thing, a good poem, that is.\"\nTheodore Roethke was of an illustrious generation of poets which included Sexton, Plath, Lowell, Berryman, and like them he received nearly every major award in poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize and twice the National Book Award. In spite of his fame, he remained a legendary teacher, known for the care and attention he gave to his students, poets such as James Wright, Carolyn Kizer, Tess Gallagher, and Richard Hugo. Roethke died on August 1, 1963, while swimming in a friend's pool.\n\"But before I'm reduced to an absolute pulp by my own ambivalence, I must say goodbye. The old lion perisheth. Nymphs, I wish you the swoops of many fish. May your search for the abiding be forever furious.\"\nOn Poetry and Craft\nI am overwhelmed by the beautiful disorder of poetry, the eternal virginity of words.\nThe poem, even a short time after being written, seems no miracle; unwritten, it seems something beyond the capacity of the gods.\nWe can't escape what we are, and I'm afraid many of my notions about verse (I haven't too many) have been conditioned by the fact that for nearly 25 years I've been trying to teach the young something about the nature of verse by writing it--and that with very little formal knowledge of the subject or previous instruction. So it's going to be lik\u003cbr\u003eASIN: 155659156X\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: BVV.155659156X.G\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Roethke, Theodore|Kizer, Carolyn\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact  including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Blue Vase Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43332128014397,"sku":"BVV.155659156X.G","price":6.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0589\/4225\/9261\/files\/155659156X-0.jpg?v=1783574618","url":"https:\/\/www.bluevasebooks.com\/products\/on-poetry-and-craft-selected-prose-writing-re-writing","provider":"Blue Vase Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}