Poetry Writing: Contemporary Voices

In this course, which is intended for both experienced and beginning writers, students will write a poem a week, often focusing on a specific strategy or form. The class will also read and discuss six books of varied styles and subject matters by contemporary poets: James Wright’s The Branch Will Not Break, W.S. Merwin’s The Rain in the Trees, Louise Gluck's Wild Iris, Alice Notley’s Mysteries of Small Houses, John Ashbery’s Houseboat Days, and James Tate’s Shroud of the Gnome.

Students will present their own poems for discussion and friendly critique by the workshop, and will be encouraged to revise their work over the semester. There will occasionally be in-class writing exercises, but most writing will be done outside of class. Each student will also co-lead discussion on one book. There will also be a mini-session on the business of poetry.

Other requirements: attendance at one poetry reading given by an established poet during the semester, regular conferences with the instructor and a final portfolio of work framed by a brief critical introduction.

IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE:
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS COURSE YOU MUST SUBMIT 5 ORIGINAL POEMS OF ANY STYLE AND LENGTH.

Submit your poems to Ethel Rackin c/o Woodside Cottage, Haverford College, by Friday, December 17th at the latest. Submissions must be typed or computer-printed; each page should be labeled with the author's name, year, e-mail address, and college; BMC students, please include campus mailbox number. Electronic submissions and handwritten submissions will NOT be considered. Submissions of less than five poems and late submissions will be considered only after submissions meeting the requirements have been considered. You'll receive notice of whether you've been accepted into the class at the start of the spring semester.
Questions can be e-mailed to erackin@haverford.edu.
*Enrollment is limited to 15 students.