English 143B

Other Readings and Media

Recommended: Ramazani, J. (editor): Norton Anthology of Modern & Contemporary Poetry

Description

In this course you will conduct a progressive series of experiments in which you will explore some of the fundamental options for writing poetry today—aperture, partition, closure; rhythmic sound patterning; sentence & line; stanza; short & long-lined poems; image & figure; graphics & textual space; cultural translation; poetic forms (haibun, villanelle, sestina, pantoum, ghazal, etc.); the first, second, third, and no person (persona, address, drama, narrative, description); prose poetry. Our emphasis will be placed on recent possibilities, but with an eye & ear always to renovating traditions. I have no “house style” and only one precept: you can do anything, if you can do it. You will write a poem a week, and we’ll discuss five or so in rotation (I’ll respond to every poem you write). On alternate days, we’ll discuss recent illustrative poems drawn from our course reader. If the past is any guarantee, it will be delightful.

To be considered for admission in this course, please submit 5 photocopied pages of your poetry, along with an application form, to Professor Shoptaw's mailbox in 322 Wheeler BY 4:00 P.M., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, AT THE LATEST.

Be sure to read the paragraph concerning creative writing courses on page 1 of this Announcement of Classes for further information regarding enrollment in such courses!