This is a book for those who wish to learn to read poetry and to understand poetry better by writing it. I have included several examples of my own poems herein (not entirely out of vanity, but to provide examples and to remark upon my own personal experiences in writing the poems), as well as poems and excerpts by other writers. I think everyone- all of our ordinary citizens-should learn to read and write poetry, if for no other reasons than those offered several years ago by former President John F. Kennedy:

When power leads man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.

As a powerful nation, America needs poetry; this need seems quite evident in our time, as is especially illustrated by the repeated political posturing to which we have unfortunately allowed ourselves to become accustomed. (From the Introduction.)

For students and their teachers of literature, this book provides a new and fresh approach to learning poetry. One can find many causes that the reading of poetry for personal pleasure and profit and as a vital subject in American schools has recently declined, but the question remains: What can we do about it? My proposal is to excite students by offering them an opportunity to express their experiences and concerns through writing poems. That is the purpose of this book.

Richard E. Mezo, writer and educator, received his Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of North Dakota in 1978 and completed a course of study in Education at Western Washington University in 1988. He has taught at colleges and universities in the U. S. and overseas, and more recently, at a secondary school in Guam and at DoDDS schools in Germany and Japan. He is the author of several books and has published in various magazines and journals, both professional and creative. Dr. Mezo has written entries for the American National Biography (Oxford University Press) and for the World Education Encyclopedia (Gale Research). For six years, he was a College Board reader for the examination in AP English literature. A field bibliographer for the Modern Language Association, he is listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachersand in the Directory of American Poets and Fiction Writers. He has taught the English AP Literature and Composition course for the DoDEA Online Learning Academy in Arlington, Virginia, and is currently (2009) teaching various courses in English for Germanna Community College in Fredericksburg, Virginia.