0 of 2 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
I wish I hadn't bought this book, Jun 16 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: The Art of Writing: Teachings of the Chinese Masters (Paperback)
If you're looking for instruction on writing poetry I suggest that you stop looking and start writing. The only instruction I've had on writing poetry was while taking an introductory writing course in college. I left that class with many questions, the main one being: "What is poetry?" I wasn't necessarily looking for a direct answer, but nonetheless wanted something concrete to go with. I have since taken an occasional stab at it and have come to realize how futile it is to try and answer such a question. When I have been lucky enough to write a successful poem there is no way of explaining how I did it, I just knew that it was right. This book attempts to give some guidance on the art of writing (mainly poetry), when really it should be titled, "Writer's reflections on writing" as most of the so-called teachings are just recounts of the process itself or a product thereof. Some people may argue that this may be of value, however they are wrong. If you've never tasted salt and you want to know what it tastes like, don't ask somebody what it tastes like- taste it yourself!
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