Harp in the Stars: An Anthology of Lyric Essays

The anthology "A Harp in the Stars" showcases lyric essays that rely on intuition, image, and questioning, combining more than the sum of its parts. It includes flash, segmented, braided, and hermit crab forms from diverse writers, with a section on craft essays.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 310 pages
\n Publication date: 01 October 2021
\n Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
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A lyric essay is a form of writing that combines elements of poetry and prose, often blurring the boundaries between the two. It is characterized by its use of imagery, metaphor, and sensory language to convey emotions, ideas, and experiences. Lyric essays can be organized in a variety of ways, including flash, segmented, braided, and hermit crab, each with its own unique structure and style.

One of the key features of a lyric essay is its reliance on intuition rather than exposition. Lyric essays often use images and metaphors to convey meaning rather than directly stating it, allowing the reader to interpret and connect with the text on their own. This can create a more intimate and personal connection between the writer and the reader, as the reader is invited to participate in the interpretation of the text.

Another hallmark of a lyric essay is its use of form to evoke emotion and create a sense of movement. Lyric essays can use repetition, rhyme, and alliteration to create a musical or rhythmic quality to the text, which can enhance the emotional impact of the words. They can also use different structures, such as stanzas, lines, and paragraphs, to create a sense of pacing and direction.

Despite its emphasis on intuition and form, a lyric essay still has responsibilities to fulfill. One of these is to try to reveal something about the world or the human experience. Lyric essays can use personal experiences, observations, and insights to explore complex themes and questions, providing a unique perspective on the world.

Another responsibility of a lyric essay is to play with ideas and challenge assumptions. Lyric essays can use irony, metaphor, and other literary devices to subvert traditional narratives and explore alternative perspectives. They can also use humor and irony to create a sense of playfulness and lightness, allowing the reader to engage with the text on a deeper level.

In addition to these responsibilities, a lyric essay also has the ability to show a shift in thinking or a change in perspective. Lyric essays can use introspection and self-reflection to explore the author's own beliefs and values, and how they have evolved over time. They can also use historical and cultural context to explore how societal norms and expectations have shaped the author's experiences and perspectives.

A Harp in the Stars is a collection of lyric essays written in four different forms—flash, segmented, braided, and hermit crab—from a range of diverse writers. The collection also includes a section of craft essays—lyric essays about lyric essays—that provide insight into the process of writing and editing lyric essays. Each contributor has supplemented their work with a short meditation on the boundary-breaking form of lyric essays, offering their own perspectives and insights into this unique genre.

In conclusion, a lyric essay is a form of writing that combines elements of poetry and prose, often blurring the boundaries between the two. It is characterized by its use of imagery, metaphor, and sensory language to convey emotions, ideas, and experiences. Lyric essays can be organized in a variety of ways, each with its own unique structure and style, and they have responsibilities to fulfill, such as revealing something about the world or the human experience, playing with ideas, and showing a shift in thinking. A Harp in the Stars is a collection of lyric essays that showcases the diversity and creativity of this genre, providing insight into the process of writing and editing lyric essays and offering a unique perspective on the world.

\n Weight: 480g\n
Dimension: 209 x 229 x 21 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781496217745\n \n