Writing Poetry combines an accessible introduction to the essential elements of the craft, with a critical awareness of its historical, ideological and aesthetic underpinnings. The authors argue that separating the making of poems from critical thinking about them is a false divide and encourage students to delve deeper into their work by becoming accomplished critics and active readers of poetic texts. The book presents a range of strategies and practical exercises to help initiate and sustain the process of making poems, while also demonstrating the value of activities such as memorizing poems, reading and writing about poetic traditions, developing manifestos and statements of aesthetics, and composing self-reviews which place poems within critical context. The first book designed specifically to meet the needs of students studying poetry writing in the context of criticism and literary study, this is an invaluable guide to all aspiring poets.