Reading Poetry
Chiasmus pairs ideas in reverse order
Recognise the ABBA pattern of chiasmus and see how reversing ideas can sharpen a sentence—or merely make it sound convincing.
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
Erasure poetry asks you to read the words that remain and the gaps between
Erasure poetry makes a new work by removing words from an existing text. Read the surviving language, the spaces, and the relationship with the source.
Reading Practice
A lipogram turns a missing letter into a writing challenge
Try reading and writing a lipogram: a text that leaves out a chosen letter. A tiny constraint can reveal unexpected habits in vocabulary and rhythm.
Book History
A book published in parts leaves clues beyond its finished binding
Original serial parts reveal covers, advertising, and reading pauses that a bound novel can hide. Learn what to notice in a library display.
Reading Poetry
A prose poem keeps poetic language without verse line breaks
A prose poem uses paragraph form without giving up poetic attention to sound and image. Read a short invented example and notice how its language works.
Reading Poetry
Anaphora: what changes when a poem repeats its opening words?
Anaphora repeats the beginning of successive phrases or lines. Try a short original example to hear how a stable opening makes later changes stand out.