CHECK IT OUT

It’s among the most elusive of literary arts -- a form of writing that

relies on the beauty of language and the creative ways its components can

be juggled to move and mesmerize readers.

To celebrate its importance in American culture, the Academy of

American Poets has dubbed April as National Poetry Month. Those

interested in marking the occasion can deepen their appreciation of

poetry’s pleasures with volumes from the Newport Beach Public Library’s

literature collection.

If rhyme makes no reason, start with “All the Fun’s in How You Say a

Thing,” in which Timothy Steele shows how poets from Chaucer’s time to

our own have used meter, rhyme and stanza to communicate and enhance

meaning. In a work that reveals why lasting verse is more than the sum of

its parts, this California State University English professor provides a

fine introduction for reading, studying or composing poetry.

There’s additional insight into how to understand contemporary verse

in “A Grain of Poetry.” In his guide to intelligent readership, Herbert

Kohl presents works by his favorite muses, along with tips for

understanding form, structure, line breaks, imagery and other literary

devices.

“Talking with poets about their lives,” says Bill Moyers, “makes their

poetry more accessible to me.” The television journalist does just that

in “Fooling with Words,” a compendium of interviews with those on the

roster of the 1998 Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in Waterloo, N.J.,

called the “Woodstock of Poetry.”

Rather than focusing on technique, Moyers sheds light on the creative

process and reflects what motivates poets to engage in their craft. His

interview subjects are an eclectic band, encompassing Irishman Paul

Muldoon, Jewish nonagenarian Stanley Kunitz, radical feminist Marge

Piercy and self-designated “ChicanIndian” Lorna Dee Cervantes.

If you’re ready to sample the rhythms of one of today’s most inspired

lyricists, check out Diane Ackerman’s “Jaguar of Sweet Laughter.” The

best-selling author of “A Natural History of the Senses” includes 118

poems that illuminate the mysteries of life, love and the natural world

in this appealing collection.

More time-tested imagery is in such volumes as “A Far Rockaway of the

Heart,” Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s sequel to his 1950s Beat generation book,

“A Coney Island of the Mind.” Charles Bukowski, Ted Hughes, Virginia

Adair and other classic contemporary masters also are represented in the

collection.

Some of these masters may be among the sources of inspiration for

students in UC Irvine’s MFA in Writing Program. The students will read

poems that have motivated them to pursue writing careers at the Newport

Beach Public Library Foundation’s 5th Annual Poetry Festival. Don’t miss

this local celebration of the power of poetry, beginning at 7 p.m. April

30 in the Central Library’s Friends Meeting Room, 1000 Avocado Ave.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in collaboration with

June Pilsitz. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by

accessing the catalog at o7 https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org.

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