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Rating: 
Summary: This is a very usefull book - and a great introduction...
Review: I have been looking for a resource like this one for quite some time! If you love poetry - but have a hard time keeping track of its many forms - you should give this book a try - you will use it!
Rating:
Summary: A Fine Introductory Tome
Review: I have enjoyed learning about these forms, some for the first time. I have enjoyed using this book in my writing groups. Some of the examples chosen are certainly exquisite. ... Though I will likely look into other more developed treatments. Nonetheless I heartily recommend this one; the authors balance enthusiasm with scholarly laissez-faire.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is fantastic.
Review: It's organized well, though I would like to have had a few more poetic forms presented. Perhaps they will (or have already) put together a second edition. I enjoyed reading about the styles that were presented in this book, the little bit of history about the style, and the examples included. This is actually a very fun book about poetry, as the descriptions given are explained very well which inspired me to try my hand at the forms immediately.
My only regret is that I've misplaced my copy.
Rating:
Summary: Great poetry
Review: The choice of poems in this book is great, the design is beautiful and it can sure be very helpful for anyone who loves poetry. Just the best.
Rating:
Summary: A solid overview of poetic forms
Review: The Making of a Poem is a good book to read for people introducing themselves to poetry and also for writers who wish to learn more about different ways they can work with rhyme, meter, and poetic context and expectation.
The introductions that precede each type of form (from sonnet to pantoum to sestina) could have been fleshed out more, and it would have been great if Strand and Boland had taken one or two poems from each section and presented them with commentary, pointing out the various elements and the ways in which the poet adhered to or twisted the poetic rules for various effects. However, because the intros to each poetic section include a brief historical background as well as a brief overview of how the form is used by today's poets, we still get a good general idea of how these various forms evolved.
Also, I loved that the sample poems presented for each form spanned from early poetry to contemporary poems - it was always interesting to see the progression and the contrasts. And even if you don't learn as much as you want to about each form, the book manages to serve well as an anthology of fine poetry, surprising you on each page with another gem (some familiar, like a Shakespeare sonnet, and others more obscure but still incredibly riveting).
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books on poetry
Review: There are many books about "what poetry is," especially in this time when Contemporary American poetry has taken off. This one is one of the best and should be included in all poetry collections. This book is the only one I have found that shows the poetic forms and their contemporary contexts (after all, free verse borrows from the forms). This book also joins the Contemporary and Modern poets with the Romantics, Classical, et al. Both Strand's and Boland's essays and views should be embraced for their insight and knowledge--did the negative reviewers actually read this book? The Making of a Poem is a treasure that acknowledges and celebrates poetry, moving past what the title implies.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books on poetry
Review: There are many books about "what poetry is," especially in this time when Contemporary American poetry has taken off. This one is one of the best and should be included in all poetry collections. This book is the only one I have found that shows the poetic forms and their contemporary contexts (after all, free verse borrows from the forms). This book also joins the Contemporary and Modern poets with the Romantics, Classical, et al. Both Strand's and Boland's essays and views should be embraced for their insight and knowledge--did the negative reviewers actually read this book? The Making of a Poem is a treasure that acknowledges and celebrates poetry, moving past what the title implies.
Rating:
Summary: Great poetry
Review: There is definitely a need for such books on poetic forms today, but this book does not fill that lacuna adequately. As has been noted, the editors are not poets of the first rank (despite the fact that Mark Strand was a poet laureate of the US) and are not unquestionable masters of form. So, while this book may serve a scant few beginners, there remain better other options.I would suggest checking out John Hollander's excellent short work "Rhyme's Reason". He goes over more forms and in a better style than in this book. If you are a poet yourself, definitely you should choose Hollander's book over this one. However, if you want an easy and light read, maybe this book is better, since it provides longer "readings" of certain poems. But if that's what you're after, you'd be better served by Harold Bloom's "How to Read and Why", a very good book written by a top scholar and yet readable by virtually anyone interested in literature.
Rating:
Summary: Good into to forms & poetry selection but varied chapters.
Review: This book provides a good introduction to poetic forms such as the villanelle, sestina, or sonnet. Included is a description of the exact topology of the form, a history of the form, and the contemporary use of the form. The first or second poem under each chapter, usually follows the classic model of the form, and allowed me to understand the mechanics. The anthology of poems chronologically ranged from the classic (and who would dare discuss sonnets without including one from Shakespeare), to more modern poets as Gwendolyn Brooks. In most of the verse forms, there is a close-up view of one of the poets selected in that section, but for some reason that good idea was discontinued when discussing "shaping forms" (elegy, pastoral, and ode). The chapter on Meter is only two pages long, so it is disappointing that at least some examples weren't included here. The final section of "Open Forms" perhaps allows one to reach their own conclusions about the use of form, and what constitutes memorable poetry. No matter what, an appreciation of form should help your appreciation of poetry. I would have also appreciated a little more in depth analysis of a few of the poems to show how the form was used to convey the poet's message.
Rating: 
Summary: Scanty Coverage
Review: This is a user friendly book. A brief summary of each poetic form is followed by a fine selection of poems. The anthology may serve as an introduction for beginners(I plan to use it in my high school classroom) or a refresher. Some biographical information is included about particular poets. Overall, an extremely brief overview of Western poetic formats-- not recommended for more experienced poetry lovers.
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