Here are the assignments for poems and revision that we will follow this semester. A guideline or two: let’s start out this semester by producing new work. Please do not send in an old poem–one that you wrote last month, last year, etc. Let’s start out with new poems, poems that grow from the prompts, or poems that you develop because of other events in your life. Next, let’s not rhyme in obvious ways. Why? because rhyming is distracting for the beginning writer. For the most part, let’s try to avoid song lyric type poetry. Why? again, it is a distraction from the skills of writing poetry. Historically, song and poetry have a close relationship, but in the last hundred years that relationship has grown tenuous. Besides, most song lyrics do not stand up as spoken (and read) poetry. Think of it this way, this is a class based on the tradition of the American free verse poem. If you want to write other kinds of poetry, I applaud you, but let’s begin focusing on building skills in writing poetry. We can do that with American free verse. Then later in the semester we will get to rhyme and set forms.
I Am/List Poem
A list poem is exactly what it sounds like, a poem that is made as if it were just a list. You can start it off, “I am . . . “ and keep repeating the first two words for 10 or 20 lines, or find ways to vary the beginning. Try to keep from one and two word, factual answers: “I am a student. I am nineteen years old. I am waitress.” Make it a poem, not a questionnaire. “I am a pack mule for overpriced books./ a wild dancer in the disco of joy / a cart carrying delicious ginger bread pancakes.” Enjoy this. Include at least 20 different references.
Landscape Poem
Select a significant, specific landscape to you or that you know about, either natural or urban. This could be an exterior landscape, an interior landscape, or some of both. Try to make the reader feel what you feel when you are there or imagine you are there.
Family Poem
Select a family member or situation in your family. It can be a scene in a holiday, a moment of joy or sorrow, an appreciation, a warning. Try to stay objective in the presentation, focusing on telling others about the person or situation, rather than talking directly to the family member or members. Let your word choices and images convey the emotion that you feel and what to communicate.
Letter Poem
This is sort of like the family poem, but the idea is to write directly someone. So the poem is directed at a family member, a friend, a significant other, or even a famous person. Again, focus on images and concrete details. You will use the word “you” and perhaps even “I.” There may be a story, a narrative, that finds its way into this poem.
Revision 1
This week, you will revise one or more of the first four poems. Revision should concentrate on imagery, figures of speech, and point of view. Of course, you are free to work on other matters as well. You will be provided with other suggestions for re-visioning the poem.
Ekphrastic Poem
An ekphrastic poem is a work that is a response to another work of art. After reading the poems for this week several times, select an artist/video to write about and respond to. The idea is to create a new work of art with your poem—not to write a review or critique. Use your creative mind, not your analytical mind. Talk to the painter (musician, etc) or to a character in the work. This week we begin workshopping, so you will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
Myth Poem
Write a poem that is based somehow on a myth or fairy tale. The poem might be personal–such as how the Cinderella myth has affected you or friends–or political–such has how you are fighting the giant–or a meditation on the story–what the prodigal son might feel. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
History Poem
We all live in Time and we live in Community. With this poem, I want you to think about yourself as a human living a life as history is occurring. How do these event affect you? How are they changing you? What are they making you feel? Are you glad about that or not. The event you chose does not have to be one that you experienced. For instance, you could write about visiting a Civil War Battlefield. Or it could be an event from recent history: 911, the election of Obama, the passing of the guns on campus law by the Texas legislature. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
Revision 2
This week, you will revise one or more of the most recent three poems (ekphrastic, myth, history). As before, I will make suggestions about re-visioning the poem, and you will look as such matters as image and figures of speech. But you will also consider enjambment, line length, meter, rhythms, repetition. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
Ghazal
After reading the poems for this week several times, select a topic to write a ghazal about; think about a subject lending itself to repetition. Please write at least ten couplets. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
Sonnet
For your this poem, try your hand at writing a sonnet or another fixed form, such as sestina or villanelle. Remember there are different kinds of sonnets to choose from. And remember to try slant rhymes and connotation to avoid the sing-songy effect of exact rhymes. Even though many of the sonnets or fixed form poems we read are older and have a more formal sounding vocabulary, try to make your language contemporary. Write the poem with your language. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
Open Choice
I know you have been waiting for this. Write any kind of poem you want in any kind of way you want. Maybe you have a poem in your workbook that you really like or some ideas there that you want to develop. This is your freebie. Enjoy. Experiment. Return to your favorite topics and approaches. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
Response to Mentor Poem
For this last poem, think about what sets apart the poet you’re reading about for your presentation, whether it is use of language, rhythm, content, or punctuation. Write a poem either borrowing from this poet’s style, while also referencing the poem, OR you can write a poem dealing with the poet’s history/themes. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.
Revision 3
This week, you will revise one or more of the most recent four poems (ghazal, sonnet, open choice, or response to mentor). Remember that you need to revise at least five poems during the semester. As before, I will make suggestions about re-visioning the poem, and you will look as such matters as image and figures of speech, enjambment, line length, meter, rhythms, repetition. And you will consider rhyme, sound effects, etc. etc. You will also select three class members’ poems to respond to as comments on their threads on the discussion board.