The Making of a Poem

The Making of a Poem is an exploration of the craft of poetry. It provides a rare insight into how poems are made, exploring a poem's journey from a rough draft into its final form. The book showcases a wide variety of forms--from free verse to prose poetry, from sonnet to Abecedarian--and a diversity of redrafting techniques.

Experienced journalist and teacher Rosanna McGlone interviews eleven of Australia's most accomplished and celebrated poets about their poetic practice. The poets come from across Australia, from Western Australia to Queensland, and differ widely in age and background. But the contributors are united in their outstanding level of achievement and in their willingness to share their redrafting process.

Each interview explores in detail the development of a single poem from an early draft to the final published version. The interviews capture the unique way in which each poem was developed, probing specific decisions on word choice and rhythm as well as broader questions such as the place of personal experience in poetry and how content is married with form.

This book is an indispensable resource for those teaching the craft of poetry, an invaluable source of insights for those who practice that craft and a fascinating window into the creative process for all readers of poetry.