Poetry encompasses multiple forms from traditional Sonnets and Ballads to modern day Performance Poetry and Verse Novels.
There are many techniques used by poets to craft a memorable piece: onomatopoeia, rhyme, metaphors.
And there are just as many techniques which can be used to analyse and appreciate different kinds of poetry: by looking at the Structure, the Language and the Imagery among others.
The resources listed below will help you in both reading and writing poetry and will provide some inspiration for finding a poet that you enjoy.
Limelight by
Limelight is a unique collection of slam poetry paired with inspirational writing techniques. Solli's work tackles current social concerns for his generation, such as sustainability and social equality, all the while amplifying his uplifting message of hope. The book includes several introductory chapters looking at traditional poetry forms and slam poetry, as well as tips on developing writing ideas and performing.
Long Way Down by
There are three rules in the neighborhood: Don't cry ; Don't snitch ; Get revenge. Will takes his dead brother Shawn's gun, and gets in the elevator on the 7th floor. As the elevator stops on each floor, someone connected to Shawn gets on. Someone already dead. Dead by teenage gun violence. And each has something to share with Will.
Sister Heart by
A young Aboriginal girl is taken from the north of Australia and sent to an institution in the distant south. There, she slowly makes a new life for herself and, in the face of tragedy, finds strength in new friendships.
Out of the Dust by
A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better -playing the piano - is impossible with her wounded hands. To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma - and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.
Art of Taxidermy by
Lottie collects dead creatures and lovingly cares for them, hoping to preserve them, to save them from disintegration. Her father understands - -Lottie has a scientific mind, he thinks. Her aunt wants it to stop, and she goes to cruel lengths to make sure it does. And her mother? Lottie's mother died long ago. And Lottie is searching for a way to be close to her. The Art of Taxidermyis a heartbreaking verse novel exploring love and death, grief and beauty, and the ways we try to make sense of it all.
Lonesome Howl by
Jake's dad saw the wolf, before Jake was born. They say wolves don't live in this country, yet in the night Jake hears it howling, long and lonely.
When Jake and Lucy hike to Sheldon Mountain in search of the wolf, Jake is out to prove his dad right or wrong: Lucy is escaping her father's cruelty. Both are tested - physically, emotionally, spiritually - but what they find on that dangerous, dark mountain surprises them both.
A Time to Dance by
Padma Venkatraman’s inspiring story of a young girl’s struggle to regain her passion and find a new peace is told lyrically through verse that captures the beauty and mystery of India and the ancient bharatanatyam dance form. This is a stunning novel about spiritual awakening, the power of art, and above all, the courage and resilience of the human spirit.
Veda, a classical dance prodigy in India, lives and breathes dance—so when an accident leaves her a below-knee amputee, her dreams are shattered. For a girl who’s grown used to receiving applause for her dance prowess and flexibility, adjusting to a prosthetic leg is painful and humbling. But Veda refuses to let her disability rob her of her dreams, and she starts all over again, taking beginner classes with the youngest dancers. Then Veda meets Govinda, a young man who approaches dance as a spiritual pursuit. As their relationship deepens, Veda reconnects with the world around her, and begins to discover who she is and what dance truly means to her.
Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry which relies on the correct use of syllables for its form.
A haiku has 17 syllables:
5 in the first line.
7 in the second line.
5 in the third line.
Therefore, the words must be chosen very carefully to convey meaning within the confines of the form.
An example from Basho, a master of haiku:
Bamboo Grove
Song of the cuckoo:
In the grove of great bamboos,
Moonlight seeping through.
Leonard Cohen was a Canadian poet and novelist who crossed over to song. He published ten books of poetry and as a musician was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
Blue light, clear atoms: poetry for Senior Students by 
Contemporary Asian Australian poets by 
A corner of a foreign field: the illustrated poetry of the First World War
Best Australian Poetry 2008 by 
My people by 
