On the Poet and His Craft: Selected Prose of Theodore Roethke

by Theodore Roethke and Ralph J. Jr. (Editor) Mills

Book Overview

"One of the virtues of good poetry is the fact that it irritates the mediocre."Theodore Roethke was one of the most famous and outspoken poets and poetry teachers this country has ever known. In this... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0295740035
• ISBN13: 9780295740034
• Release Date: January 1965
• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Age Range: 22 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Creativity is Hard to Teach

I found the poet's thoughts quite helpful and not as self-indulgent as other reviewers. I think Roethke also considered himself to be an artist at teaching as well as at writing. His was not a case of "those cannot do, teach". He established a style of relating and conveying materials to students with many years of success. Most importantly, no teacher can instruct how to be a good or great writer. Every instructor in the arts faces this dilemma. I found Roethke's thoughts to have much merit. They aren't obtrusive or intrusive just a catch as catch can if they have meaning for the reader.