Twoness Poems

Please plan to take this workshop as a pair with another poet, writer, friend, or family member. Your one registration covers enrollment for both of you in the course. We will be exploring and learning to writetwoness poems: poems written collaboratively, line-by-line, by two people.

When a poet works closely with another poet, we will not only know that other poet better—our understanding of ourselves and of poetry (poetry is one’s heart) also transforms.

In this one-day workshop, we will introduce our own twoness poems, and explore the creation of collaborative poetry. You will begin writing a collaborative poem, and we will offer suggestions on the final draft that you will send the following week. We will be available for free individual /pair Zoom review sessions on another date following the course.  The goal of the class is to show how freeing the twoness poetry can be. This workshop is a step toward sharing the joy of twoness among as many poets and writers as possible. We will have a wonderful Valentine’s Day evening together.

To experience “Twoness Poems” by E. Ethelbert Miller and Miho Kinnas is to accept an invitation into a world of friendship, beauty and surprise.
—Renee Shea

Please join us as two poets wishing to write together: couples (married or unmarried), friends, siblings, parent and child. We request that both participants be over 18.

Learning and Writing Goals

You will learn:

• the pros and cons of collaborating on poetry;
• different ways to write poetry together;
• what you should be aware of, before, during and after writing linked poetry;
• the importance of setting a goal;
• what type of poem to start;
• some historical examples.

You will:

• begin two pieces of collaborative writing.
• email the final draft to the instructors; they will respond with comments and suggestions.

Webinar Schedule

This workshop will meet from 7-9 P.M. U.S. Eastern Time.

Hour One

Introduction

Miho and Ethelbert will use twoness poems they’ve written to discuss the following topics:

• How to begin.
  • How do you approach a poem? Writing line by line, stanza by stanza.
  • How to produce twoness Couplets, Tercet, Sonnets, or Odes.
• How to keep the conversation flowing.
  • Why it’s better not to explain while writing.
  • Emails work perfectly.
  • Finishing a poem within hours, a morning or afternoon, or a day.
  • How to respond to the previous line – different styles and approaches.
• How to end a twoness poem.
• Planning vs. spontaneity.
• Taking different roles in different poems.

Hour Two

• Collaboration? Collage?
• Hands on! Let’s try it! (Breakout rooms for 15 minutes.)
• How are twoness poems different from Renku/Renga or Rengay?
• Open discussion and Q&A.
• Submitting twoness poems to journals.