Poetic Designs: An Introduction to Meters, Verse Forms, and Figures of Speech

"One of the book's most salient strengths is how gracefully the author handles some of the knottiest problems a teacher of prosody will encounter. This is a very strong book" -- Annie Finch, Miami University, Ohio

"One of the most impressive features is Adams' mastery at introducing various intricacies as they surface in his examples instead of giving lists of rules and the like. Adams' writing style is impeccable, lucid and tightly controlled. He manages to get through a great deal of material quite quickly, without ever sacrificing accuracy and thoroughness." -- Demetres Tryphonopoulos, University of New Brunswick

"A very good guide to the subject, full of erudition, but also full of pedagogical savvy. There is a fine and informal ear evident throughout." -- Don McKay, winner of the Governor General's Award for Poetry

"Adams offers help to students and teachers of poetry with his lively, accessible guide to the mechanics of verse. [His] clear and measured examination of the elements of poetry and straight-ahead style make Poetic Designs a valuable resource." -- Quill and Quire