#poemcrazy

every damn day.

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The cover of this book is a fairly accurate representation of the content inside: light-hearted, playful, and just a little woo-woo. Wooldridge writes of all these techniques and exercises for how she gets into the poetry mindset and it’s not at all prescriptive--some chapters are just vignettes of her experiences that felt like poetry or later turned into a poem or got her into that frame of mind, not necessarily prompts or exercises on how to write poetry itself, though there is a decent amount of that as well. Her take on poetry is one that’s somehow both reverent and laid back. For Wooldridge, poetry is where she asks questions, digs deep into herself, expresses herself. One of the things that I love about reading about poetry is the reminder that it really is a mindset. I remember when I taught one class of ninth graders about poetry, to open the unit I asked what poetry was or wasn’t and one very smug kid was like “it’s everything so it’s nothing” and I was like YES let’s keep that energy even though I know you’re being sarcastic and fake deep!!! But like, that’s kind of the point of Wooldridge’s exercises and book? The thing only becomes poetry when you pay attention to it. Dang, if only I had read this book before I taught that unit.

#throwback #poemcrazy #poems #poetry Wild Child stampeding earth like she owns the skies-- bring me freedom If only I could live like her, blinded and unknowingl

Went to a writing workshop yesterday. We pulled words from books and made word pools, used word tickets, post cards, and pages ripped from an old dictionary; and then we wrote poems from those words. I stepped out of my box and wrote some things I normally wouldn't have. (I usually like to rhyme.) The author #susangoldsmithwooldridge signed my copy of #poemcrazy and gave us each a "poetic license." #funday #poetry #writing #swipeleft (at Raley's)

Part memoir, filled with poetry exercises and activities, and sprinkled with poems, Poemcrazy is sure to inspire anyone who wants to delve deeper into the art of writing poetry and the lifestyle of a poet.

In the chapter this quote comes from, she's speaking about how many people are "afraid" of poetry.

-Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge, from poemcrazy