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When secondary school or university students are asked what they find hardest about studying English, the most popular answer by far is poetry. This reader-friendly guide to writing about poetry provides clear, practical strategies for students at all levels.

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When secondary school or university students are asked what they find hardest aboutstudying English, the most popular answer by far is poetry. This book is the first poetry analysis guide intended for all candidates studying English at secondary and university levels. Importantly, it is a "pocket guide" - concise and accessible. This means that all students will be able to find it useful, whether they happen to be struggling in the subject or trying to secure their own top-grade performance. The guide is organised into five short, reader-friendly chapters: an introduction, "Why is Poetry Difficult?", "What do Poems Mean?", "The Challenge of Poetic Form", and "How to Write an Essay on a Poem". Each of these chapters challenges particular misunderstandings about poetry while presenting some clear, practical strategies for how to analyse poems.

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CONTENTS: Why Is Poetry Difficult? - What Do Poems Mean? - The Challenge of Poetic Form - How to Write an Essay on a Poem.

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"A wonderful guide for students of literature and for teachers who are seeking clear, comprehensive and insightful materials for unlocking the secrets and complexities of the poetic form and craft." (Mr. Lawrence Court, English Department Head, Westminster School, Connecticut)

"In its concision and clarity, How To Write About Poetry is an invaluable guide to how to unpack a poem and, as such, is an indispensable book for students and teachers of English literature alike. Brendan Cooper avoids the use of jargon or overly technical terminology to get at what is most exciting and vital about analysing poetry, expertly nudging the reader into seeing what might be discovered through greater attentiveness. Thoughtfully structured, elegantly written, and leavened by the author´s intelligence and wit, How To Write About Poetry is masterfully done." (Duncan White, Assistant Director of History & Literature, Harvard University)

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Brendan Cooper studied at Downing College, Cambridge, where he also completed a PhD in English. He has published widely on British and American literature, including Dark Airs: John Berryman and the Spiritual Politics of Cold War American Poetry (2009) and William Blake´s Songs of Innocence and of Experience: A Student´s Guide (2017). He is presently Head of English at Eton College.

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