The Essential Poet's Glossary

A Poet’s Glossary was an extraordinary achievement that continues to stand as a definitive source for poets and poetry lovers alike. Here, The Essential Poet’s Glossary gleans the very best from that extraordinary volume.

"An instant classic that belongs on the bookshelf of every serious poet and literature student."—Washington Post

Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets Edward Hirsch has compiled poetic terms spanning centuries and continents, including forms, devices, movements, aesthetics, rhetorical terms, and folklore. Knowing how a poem works is crucial to unlocking its meaning—entries will deepen readers’ relationships with their favorite poems and open greater levels of understanding in each new poem they encounter.

Shot through with the enthusiasm, authority, and sheer delight that made A Poet’s Glossary and How to Read a Poem so beloved, this Essential edition is the book that all readers, writers, teachers, and students of poetry will return to again and again.

This comprehensive guide for writers and readers is the definitive source for understanding how poetry works:

Essential Poetic Terms: From abecedarian to zaum, discover clear, accessible definitions for the vocabulary of poetry spanning centuries and continents. Poetic Forms and Devices: Unlock the mechanics behind your favorite poems with explanations of forms like the sonnet and haiku, and devices from alliteration to synecdoche. A Rich History of Poetry: Journey through the histories and traditions that shaped poetic movements, from Greek and Latin epics to French Symbolism and American modernism. A Resource for Writers and Teachers: Authored with the enthusiasm and authority of Edward Hirsch, this glossary is the indispensable companion for every student, teacher, and writer of poetry.