“Just as there is no ready-made compositional formula, heuristic, syllogism, or algorithm for poetry or its reception by a reader or reading public, there is also no one, true, proven, repeatable, or even identifiable way to assemble a book of poems,” write editors Sarah Giragosian and Virginia Konchan in the introduction to this anthology of essays on the art and science of constructing a poetry manuscript. The essays by poets such as Kazim Ali, Victoria Chang, Annie Finch, Philip Metres, and Diane Seuss vary in their approach as they move from lyrical to critical to instructional. Topics include discussions on the use of autobiography in a narrative arc, the relationship between poetry and visual art, how to establish an organizing structural principle, and FAQs from writers at various stages of their work. Rather than provide a clear answer to the elusive practice of manuscript assembly, this anthology offers an eclectic mix of approaches for any writer seeking guidance on how to put a book together.
