This book presents a program for increasing the student's command of language through the experience of writing poetry. Designed to encourage students to systematically and accurately transform their experiences into brief expression, the program is divided into two sections--introductory and advanced. Each of the sections is composed of units on the forms of poetry, the content of poetry, and methods of evaluating it. Sample topics of exercises are Ezra Pound couplets, Haiku, sources of inspiration, themes from the arts, a framework for evaluation, and personal assessment. The advanced section has an additional unit on principles for preparing and guiding the student in creative work. Such subjects as the creative climate, poetry form and structure, preparation for writing, the writing session, constructive evaluation, and revision and polishing are taken up. (A short anthology of student poems is included.) (JM)