Introduction to Writing Poetry
In this semester-long course, students will explore a wide variety of poetic forms and techniques by reading published poems and sharing their own work. Writing-intensive and discussion-driven in a safe, inclusive environment.
What's included
28 live meetings
37 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursAssignments
2-4 hours per week. In addition to reading assigned poems and writing poems for workshop critique, students will try out the techniques and forms we discuss by completing poetry writing assignments, and they will write detailed responses to classmates' poems following a standard set of questions.Letter Grade
includedClass Experience
US Grade 10 - 12
Beginner Level
In this workshop, students will spend roughly half their in-class time discussing published poems, including both canonical and new writing, and half of it discussing poems written by themselves and their classmates. It's a safe, inclusive environment where creativity and self-expression are nurtured. We'll begin the semester exploring how to create and use images in poetry, then learn a variety of techniques for shaping poems in the ear and on the page, and end by learning how a few of the most interesting forms in the poetic tradition work. I teach a lively, engaging, discussion-focused class that begins and ends with students' experiences -- what they find intriguing, cool, or difficult about everything we read. I also model proper critique by providing detailed written feedback about every poem submitted for workshop.
Learning Goals
Identify core poetic techniques, such as sensory imagery, symbolism and metaphor, personification, line breaks, types of rhyme, and alliterationIdentify basic poetic forms, including haiku, dramatic monologue, and sonnet
Syllabus
28 Lessons
over 14 WeeksLesson 1:
Course introduction; what is poetry?
80 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Concrete vs abstract language; the senses in poetry
80 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Haiku and renga
80 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Symbolism, metaphor, and metonymy
80 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Supply List
In addition to a few handouts I'll provide electronically, students will need to get three books: Babette Deutsch, Poetry Handbook: A Dictionary of Terms, list price $17.99 W. D. Snodgrass, De/Compositions, list price $24.00 Eavan Boland and Mark Strand, The Making of a Poem, list price $18.95
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined August, 2024
Teacher expertise and credentials
Hi! I teach poetry-writing workshops and may in the future offer historical surveys of poetry. I have an MFA in creative writing/poetry, and a PhD in English literature, where I focused on 20th century poetry and mythmaking. I'm also an actively writing and publishing poet and essayist, and I have additional expertise in queer theory, feminist theory, and 20th and 21st century aesthetic theory.
My classes are challenging, exciting, and grounded in students' contributions. Come in ready to talk about what you loved, what you hated, or what you just didn't even get about the reading assignment, and we'll shape discussion around that. As far as your writing goes, I don't expect you to be a genius, but I will ask you to get out of your comfort zone and write in new ways, discovering your own potential in both self-expression and technical skill.
Outside of poetry, I'm currently developing a tabletop roleplaying game, and I enjoy knitting and other fibre arts, picnics, and checking out museums whenever I travel.Reviews
Live Group Course
$60
weekly or $840 for 28 classes2x per week, 14 weeks
80 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 16-18
2-6 learners per class
