“Poems arrive. They hide in feelings and images, in weeds and delivery vans, daring us to notice and give them form with our words,” writes Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge in the introduction to this craft book in which she invites writers to tap into the poetry of their daily lives. Drawing on her years of experience as a poet and teacher leading workshops for the California Poets in the School program, Wooldridge mixes personal vignettes with lessons on how to create images, develop metaphors, and use all the senses as a writer. Featuring five evocatively titled sections, including “Listening to Ourselves,” “Open the Window,” and “Lights and Mysteries,” Wooldridge inserts practice sections throughout the book providing themed prompts and instructions on how to expand one’s writing practice in order to lead to new work. “Poems hang out where life is,” writes Wooldridge, offering encouragement to foster a sense of attention to the world and play with words.
