Fall (Back) In Love with Poetry
with Moriel Rothman-Zecher
Poetry is, I think, the highest written art form, the one whose form strives most fundamentally to “tell the truth but tell it slant” (Emily Dickinson). And yet: Poetry does not have to be daunting or alienating. Rather, reading and writing poetry can be a source of ease, joy, solace and exploration: “I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world” (Walt Whitman). Or, put otherwise: reading and writing poetry can be a tremendous source of playfulness and freedom, if only we let it.
In this 6-week workshop, we’ll read, write, revise and fall (back) in love with poetry. Poetry is an awesome thing, in the Biblical sense of the word. It is an effort to tell the truth, to translate life and love and agony and death into words; it doesn’t matter what we write about, for, as Frank X. Gaspar put it, “It’s never the aboutness of anything but the wailing underneath it.” So, there is space for the fear of poetry—and then for us to write our own poems anyway, playfully, bravely, recklessly, yawpingly. Not in spite of this fear, but alongside it.
Participants in this workshop will, hopefully, come away with a renewed—or new—sense of love for poetry, confidence in reading and writing poetry, and delight along the way. Everyone will have a chance to workshop up to four poems, and to get detailed written and verbal feedback both from the instructor and from their peers. Here’s how the five weeks will look:
Learning and Writing Goals
Students will have written new drafts of poems; received detailed feedback on up to four poems; familiarized themselves with the work of a number of contemporary poets; and hopefully increased their love for and ease with poetry in general.
Course Syllabus
Week 1 — Wednesday, August 31st
On the 31st, the first set of readings (short and inviting!) will be made available, and participants will be asked to come to workshop having read these poems, and to introduce themselves
Tuesday, Sept 6: Workshop 1. From 8:00pm-10:00pm EST, there will be a synchronous, online workshop in which we will have time to discuss the poems we read, to establish our hopes and goals and expectations for this course, and to collective come up with a workshop schedule for the coming weeks (including due dates, best practices, etc.)
Week 2 — Wednesday, Sept 7
Reading and writing assignments posted.
Tuesday, September 13: Workshop 2. 8:00 – 10:00 pm EST. In this class, we will begin workshop, we will discuss the readings, do a writing activity, and then workshop the first set of poems by class participants.
Week 3— Wednesday, Sept 14
Reading and writing assignments posted.
Tuesday, September 20: Workshop 3. 8:00 – 10:00 pm EST. Discuss the readings, do a writing activity, and then workshop the next set of poems by class participants.
Week 4— Wednesday, Sept 21
Reading and writing assignments posted.
Tuesday, September 27: Workshop 4. 8:00 – 10:00 pm EST. Discuss the readings, do a writing activity, and then workshop the next set of poems by class participants.
Week 5— Wednesday, September 28
Reading and writing assignments posted.
Tuesday, October 4: Workshop 5. 8:00 – 10:00 pm EST. Discuss the readings, do a writing activity, and then workshop the next set of poems by class participants. Final workshop.
Student Feedback for Moriel Rothman-Zecher:
This setting, encompassing length, content and format, facilitated by a warm and knowledgeable teacher, offered a great dipping point into a craft that can be intimidating for so many of us! A wonderfully positive experience! Rosemarie McGourty
The workshop was great. The teacher was great. I learned about modern sonnets and I am so happy. Avis Dawkins
