Read "Boot Camp" on PN Review's Substack

In "Boot Camp," Dan Burt recounts a formative encounter with the rigorous discipline of poetry editing. Despite decades of experience as a lawyer and writer, he discovers that poetry demands a different command of language, rhythm, imagery, and restraint. Through the patient but uncompromising guidance of his editor, Burt reflects on the lessons that helped transform his approach to writing poetry.

PN Review 271 (May–June 2023). Republished by PN Review on Substack, October 29, 2026.

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