Real Sofistikashun Essays on Poetry and Craft

Tony Hoagland has achieved rockstar status in the world of poetry. His ever-growing audience includes major fans from the literary world as well as musicians and radio talk show hosts. He was highlighted, along with Sigmund Freud and Bill Murray, as one of 29 "creative souls who make the year suck a little less" and Ani DiFranco reads one of his poems at every concert. In this first essay collection from one of the world's most successful contemporary poets, the art and craft of poetry is taken apart with a wrecking ball. Essays on the practice of poetry as well as the practices and work of actual poets chat gently with the reader over 300 pages of stimulating conversation with the Bono of the literary world.

TONY HOAGLAND is the author of three poetry collections, including What Narcissism Means to Me, finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Donkey Gospel, winner of the James Laughlin Award. He teaches at the University of Houston.