This illustrated 3 volume encyclopedia contains more than 100 essays on the most studied poets and 15 essays on genres such as "Harlem Renaissance Poetry", and "Performance Poetry". Each essay includes a portrait, definitions of difficult terms and concepts. The focus is on poets who either wrote in English or are often read in English translation. Some of the poets and subject articles included are T. S. Eliot, Sylvia Plath, indigenous and tribal poetry, troubadours and advice on writing poetry.