This title presents sound poetry-writing advice for the critically minded poet in the contemporary moment. This is the first book designed specifically to meet the needs of students studying poetry writing in the context of criticism and literary study. It develops practical writing skills, through a range of exercises and assignments. Authors are at the cutting-edge of the contemporary poetry pedagogy in the US.''Writing Poetry'' combines an accessible introduction to the essential elements of the craft, with a critical awareness of its underpinnings. The authors argue that separating the making of poems from critical thinking about them is a false divide and encourage students to become accomplished critics and active readers of poetic texts.