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Winter 2009 Workshops at Writers & Books PoetryStone by Stone: Assembling a Poetry Manuscript WA9-P01 2 Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. Jan. 29 through Feb. 5 $49 W&B members / $55 general public Instructor: Steven Huff You’ve published some poems, you’ve written a lot more, and now you’re thinking about a chapbook or even a full-length book manuscript. The instructor will take you through some tried and true methods of assembling your work: manuscript mechanics, deciding what to include or leave out, and building a manuscript that will catch an editor’s eye. He will give you a behind the scenes look at how publishing works, and how to approach a publisher.
Course Cancelled Focus on the Line Break
Often the poet pays too little attention to line breaks, failing to fully consider the subtle nuances and emphases of meaning that may be conveyed through breaks. While there are no actual rules for line (or stanza) breaks in free verse, this class will cover an array of effects that the poet may consider— the weight of images, the rhythms and small silences effected or emphasized— by well-considered breaks. We will examine some powerful poems for the effectiveness of their breaks. For an exercise, we will look at an unpublished poem that has been reorganized into paragraph structure, discuss its subjects, theme and rhythms, and then see how it can be changed or strengthened by reworking it into lines and stanzas, making our breaks while reaching for the effects of image, inflection, and silence.
The Prose Poem: The Cast Iron Aeroplane
Challenging traditional concepts of poetry and narrative prose, the prose poem is by nature “subversive.” It makes meaning where no form exists, and it does so in a few words; seems less art than an act of defiance. It isn’t so much crafted as it is spilled out, like a Jackson Pollock painting. Russell Edson, one of its main practitioners, variously defines it as “poetry freed from the definition of poetry, and a prose freed of the necessity of fiction...a cast iron aeroplane that can fly...a statement that seeks sanity while its author teeters on the edge of the abyss.” That being said, prose poems do have their own distinct form and follow a set of rules. We will study effective examples of prose poems, practice creating them using prompts, and critique them in class. We will also look at the burgeoning market for prose poems.
Resurrecting the Romans
Are the Roman poets just dead white guys writing in a dead language? Or do they speak directly to the heart of the human condition in verse that is sinuous, flexible, and passionate? Over the first two weeks we will explore Roman poetry: Catullus’ heart- breaking anger at his faithless mistress, as well as his ‘dis’ poems whose inventiveness is only superceded by their vulgarity; Horace’s melancholy and erotic middle-aged meditations; Virgil’s stately yet humble descriptions of farming life. We will use Greek and Roman metrical forms as inspiration for our poetic structure. We’ll look at a variety of modern poets who have adopted Greek or Roman verse forms, and use this process as a springboard to talk about how the transition / translation of metrical forms from one language to another can have fertile and creative results. All poems will be read in English.
Like Honey on Cornbread (the Oral Interpretation of Poetry)
You’ve written the perfect poem that begs to be heard. How do you read it so others can share the magic? Let’s work on effective delivery by paying attention to vocal expression, (pitch, rate, volume, emphasis, silence), gesture, eye contact, and poise. We will listen to readings by Billy Collins, Stephen Dunn, and Mary Oliver; practice oral interpretation techniques by reading some classics; and then apply this learning to our own work. The final session will be a public reading!
The Right Madness: A Course for New Voices in Poetry
You’ve been writing poetry (though you may not have told anyone what you’re up to), you’ve read some poets, and maybe you’ve been to a poetry reading or two. Now what you need is a small classroom of supportive people like yourself who want to explore the art more deeply by writing, reading, and critiquing under the guidance of a teacher. Steven Huff will bring years of experience as a poet, poetry editor, and as a teacher to this class of basic poetry writing and reading.
Finding Your Own Words: A Poetry Workshop
For Walt Whitman, poetry was his “barbaric yawp.” For Emily Dickinson, it was her “letter to the world.” What will poetry be for you? This workshop will provide an open, small group setting for writing and discussing poetry. Using a variety of exercises and sometimes drawing on other media for inspiration (art, music, photography), you will be encouraged to explore your own subject matter and to develop your poetic voice and style. Class time will be spent reading and discussing the participants’ poems, as well as selections from published poets, some classic, some contemporary. Class topics include creativity, the power of metaphor, poetic form, and elements of craft, from getting started to revising. The workshop is open to writers of all expe- rience levels. The only requirement is the desire to use words to get beyond the surface of things, to explore and make meaning from experience and observation.
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