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Review of "The Grammar of Poetry"

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The Grammar of Poetry

by Matt Whitling (Logos School Materials)

Without a doubt Matt's best published work to date, The Grammar of Poetry is a masterpiece of enjoyable reading and enriching information. This combination workbook/reference book gives definitions, examples, exercises, and classic poems that make its table of contents read like a page from The Superior Person's Book of Words. Simile, Iamb, Trochee, Hyperbole, Dactyl, Oxymoron, Euphemism, and more! Learn your TROPES and appreciate poetic devices like never before.

Beginning with a section on "How to Read Poetry," and "Using a Rhyming Dictionary," Matt skillfully guides the student on to not only identifying but actually using, by imitation, a multitude of sophisticated poetry tech-niques. The chapters are concise and move quickly, but review exercises have been skillfully integrated with each new lesson, all of which have been test-taught in Matt's own sixth grade classroom. And if synecdoche and anapestic tetrameter get a little heavy, just turn the page for a change of pace; there's some challenging but delightful riddles at the end of each lesson. Although appropriate for junior high level children, it is equally as meaningful and enriching for high school and college age students.

For the scholastically inclined, there's a final exam, which, I dare say, would challenge any English B.A. out of UCLA! The 30 lessons are superbly well constructed, imminently doable and truly rich in content. If you have ever pondered how to teach the the basics of poetry, or just wanted to learn for yourself, this is without a doubt, the best book available. I gleaned a great deal from reading it, and even as an adult, I felt it was expanding my understanding of poetry in a way that will enrich me for the rest of my life. This powerful contribution to the growing collection of resources for classical education is truly an antidote to the mountains of "fluff" in the poetry sections of the textbook catalogs.

The Grammar of Poetry textbook & anthology (87 pages) price is $20.00. The lessons are reproducible for use within a classroom or a family. You'll also need a copy of the Teacher's Edition (54 pages) for $10.00. So for a total of $30.00 you'll be able to learn and teach just about everything you've ever wanted to understand (or didn't even know existed) about poetry.

Note: Some of the riddles included in this book are real stumpers, and Matt didn't want to make it too easy to find the answer. Desperate for solutions, I complained, so Matt & Scott graciously agreed to post the answers on their web site, www.logosschool.com. Now that should definitely generate some web traffic!

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