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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2012
In searching for Mr. Crawford's new book: "The Empty Chair" I came upon this volume that I had purchased awhile ago. I thought then that I should review this work, and somehow forgot. It's never too late, I hope. I was lucky enough to be a student of Mr. Crawford for Poetry and Advanced Poetry, and had the benefit of seeing his process firsthand, and learning from it. Later on, as I became an English teacher in California and in New York, I used examples of Mr. Crawford's work when teaching poetry units, because his meter is perfect, and his use of rhyme both imaginative and succinct. Somehow I feel when reading his work, "Why hadn't I thought that, and in that way?" While students like Shakespeare, they have a hard time with the old English. They all know the first line from Sonnet 43, but again, it looses it's relevance in the modern classroom. Mr. Crawford's work allows more modern scope to be introduced, while still being formal, allowing for more comprehension and (hopefully!) retention (Just not on Spring Friday afternoons...). It's a teacher's personal choice what to share when imparting the standards, and it's good to share what you also love and appreciate. This work is full of gorgeous work, sonorous beauty, and subtle erotic undertones that allow for the imagination. I so look forward to his new volume.
