This book draws on examples from throughout the twentieth century to illustrate the diversity of techniques used in this century's poetry. Organised according to linguistic themes, rather than chronologically, the chapters introduce the reader to the more subtle uses of sound, structure and meaning as well as illustrating well-known techniques handed-down from the poetic tradition. Examples are taken from the famous writers of the twentieth century, such as Yeats, Eliot and Plath and from less well-known poets. The book culminates in a chapter which draws together the linguistic themes into an integrated analysis of two rather different poems.