About

Welcome! Thanks for dropping by the new location of Poetry Notes, a blog for anyone serious about the art. In it I reflect on assorted elements of craft, as well as why particular Canadian poems stand out for me.

Posts will take you to all the excerpts from my past reviews and articles, to commentary, and notes on specific writing points and work I admire, arranged by newest post first.  Please take a look. If you like what you see, to Subscribe is free.

Why Poetry Notes? In the 1980s, when I began to take writing poetry seriously, I pondered what comprised the ideal poem. My university studies had concentrated on great writers from the past, but what were my fellow Canadian poets achieving? Notebook in hand, I spent many happy afternoons in the Periodicals section of the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library reading through its collection of Canadian literary magazines. Many poems I admired, but each one I didn’t forced me to figure out why. What, exactly, seemed not to be working? If I were its author, how would I try to “fix” it?

Several years running Continuing Education poetry workshops and sharing sessions with individual writers furthered my thoughts about poetic craft. Some were published here and there in magazines. Eventually, they developed into the book A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem (out of print). A subsequent condensed version focused on its key ideas. Writing Reader-Friendly Poems Plus Writing Exercises is still available on amazon.ca. More about my own background as a Canadian writer is on my website Meet Susan Ioannou, https://www.susanio.ca

So why create a blog now? Perhaps some of my past observations may prove helpful. But composing and reading poetry is a never ending discovery. When a new collection thrills me, I have been happy to write a cover blurb or initiate my own full review. Conversely, the artistry and comments of other writers spark fresh questions. Such items seemed like a good place to start. I hope this potpourri of notes and excerpts may be of value, along with the fresh thinking that follows. 2022 Posts, a list arranged in chronological order, is now available. To connect, use the Search function along the top.

To Respond to what you read on Poetry Notes, just email  susan.ioannou.poetrynotes@gmail.com

Again, if you like what you see, to Subscribe is free.