Course Purpose: This course is an advanced writers' workshop, designed for those who understand the fundamentals of poetry and have a reasonable understanding of contemporary literature.  We will be building on the basic concepts and terminology learned in earlier creative writing classes or in your own studies; taking this class without that background is like taking Calculus II without Calculus I--you can do it if you want, but without that prior knowledge it might be a hard road.  A good literature background might also prove quite useful in terms of general knowledge and texts to use by way of comparison.

It is assumed that all students attending this course have an active interest in improving their own writing and in creating a chapbook or full-length manuscript of poems.  Because of this, the course will be structured as a writing workshop, though significant portions of class time will also be reserved for an inquiry into the form and craft of published poetry.  In general, this class will require considerably more attention and effort than a poetic technique class, so be prepared to spend a minimum of seven hours each week (outside of class) working on your own writing, responding to student work, and reviewing published poems.  I strongly recommend students work on their own writing every day.  Previous students from my classes have eventually published their own work in journals, books, and anthologies, and gained successful entry into graduate writing programs.  A few have gone on to work at NY and/or university publishing houses in various capacities.

Because the best poems have an essence that can defy mere mechanical explications, a poem is always more than the sum of its parts (sometimes this approach can be like analyzing the parts of a plane to know how it flies while, at the same time, ignoring the significance of the feeling/experience of flight).  Both are important, so I encourage you to experience poetry in a way that is not only analytic (understanding based on the separation of a whole into its parts) but also synthetic (understanding based on the combining of the parts to understand the essence of the whole).

As with most writing courses, this class will rely on a combination of lecture and energetic class discussion.  Come prepared each day to talk about what you’ve read.  Your participation is essential.

Course Materials: (Required)  
Good Poems (ISBN 0142003441) ed. Garrison Keillor 

Recommended Books:
Contemporary American Poetry: Behind the Scenes (ISBN 0321095782) ed. Van Cleave
The Magical Breasts of Britney Spears (ISBN 1597090670) by Ryan G. Van Cleave
The Poetry Dictionary (ISBN 1884910041) ed. John Drury

Main Writing Assignments:
1) Write and revise at least ten original poems from prompts.
2) Workshop at least two (2) pairs of original poems written specifically for this class.
3) Thoughtful, active participation in workshops, discussions on readings, and general discussions.