This is not the first book to read on the subject of how form assists meaning in poetry; for that I would go back to John Ciardi’s How Does a Poem Mean? But Fussell’s book is a good, succinct one for those who have some little knowledge of prosody and want a very good summation of metrics and of traditional forms in English poetry, along with a discussion of how metrical substitutions work. The heart of the book is a chapter called “Structural Principles: Example of the Sonnet,” that may be the best short discussion of the sonnet ever written. ( )

A study of the mechanics behind the art. Fussell looks into what separates good from great in poetry, again, froma mechanical standpoint. ( )

I heartily recommend "Poetic Meter and Poetic Form" by Paul Fussell, Jr. His prose is elegant, erudite and brimming with subtle humor. (You may have read his history on WWII, which I hear from historian friends, is excellent.)

I bought "Poetic Meter and Poetic Form" as a ragged little paperback in college for 2 dollars and didn't read it until this fall, nearly 30 years after. It was waiting for me to "mature" into it. I must say, it was one of the best reads of all time for me, because it opened up the English tradition--from Old English to present, giving a historic overview. It teaches scansion, which is necessary to developing a talent in hearing the quirks particular to meter, the deviations that make meter interesting. My edition lacks the chapter on free verse, which Fussell included in a later version.

Robert Frost said he didn't write free verse because it would be playing tennis without a net! I wish kids in school were taught meter in school, because they are missing out on the fabulous English accentual-syllabic tradition. Kids are taught that scribbling a few lines of words and arranging them in an interesting way makes poetry. It does not.

BTW, I would read the last 2 chapters first. It speaks more broadly of art, which benefited my outlook on creative endeavors far beyond poetry. ( )

Helpful but no imperative. A good explanation of prosody (without getting too lofty) and decent source for examples. I used the book to help my students scan poems better. *NOTE* The chapter on free verse is garbage. ( )