Reading Poetry
A tanka’s final two lines can turn the poem’s attention
Read a tanka through its shift of attention, then try a short original exercise that connects an observed scene with a personal response.
BOOKS & THE LIFE AROUND THEM
Keep the conversation going after the last page.
Reading notes, thoughtful book discussions and practical ways to care for the collection you live with.
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Between the covers
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Reading Poetry
Writing a cento means arranging borrowed lines with clear attribution
A cento arranges lines from other poems into a new sequence. Explore the form with clear attribution, careful source notes and attention to permission.
Reading Poetry
A rondeau brings its opening words back as a shorter refrain
A rondeau’s short recurring phrase changes as the surrounding poem develops. Read the return as an event, not just a repeated line.
Reading Poetry
A pantoum lets a repeated line change its meaning on the way back
Follow the repeated lines of a pantoum and notice how new neighbours change their meaning. Try a short original exercise before reading the ending again.
The Physical Book
A tipped-in plate joins a book by its edge rather than a folded gathering
A tipped-in illustration is attached differently from a folded section. Learn to notice the join without stressing an old book.
The Physical Book
Buckram gives library bindings a hard-wearing cloth surface
Buckram is a practical bookbinding cloth with several finishes. Learn what it can tell you about a cover and what it cannot prove about the book inside.