English 326: Writing Poetry: Intermediateoffice: MHRA 3310
English 326: Writing Poetry: IntermediateOffice: MHRA 3310
Professor: David RoderickOffice Hours: Tues./Thurs, 12:30-2
E-mail: ffice Phone: 336-334-3979
Objective:
This course is designed to develop our understanding of the craft elements that lead to writing good poems. We will read and discuss the work of established writers (our best writing teachers), but we will also release our energy into writing many drafts of poems, a few of which will be discussed by the class in a workshop format.
Grading:
Poetry Assignments: 25%. You will compose five poems that imitate work (or works) from writers on the syllabus. I expect you to invest a great deal of effort into these drafts. I will carefully read these assignments and respond to them.
The 25-Poem Sprint: 25%. In the first half of the semester, you will complete 25 poetry exercises. These are exploratory drafts that urge you to experiment and tackle subjects and forms you might not otherwise attempt. I will browse these assignments but not comment on them unless I encounter a noteworthy draft. I am more than happy to discuss these exercises in conference.
Attendance at a Poetry Reading: 10%. You will attend one poetry reading sponsored by UNCG’s MFA Program in Creative Writing and type a one-page (single spaced) response to the reading. In the paper you should address your reaction to the visiting poet and the poems he/she presents.
Participation: 15%. In a workshop course like this, our success depends upon your consistent attendance, preparation, and participation. We’re trying to create an atmosphere of mutual respect where everyone feels at ease asking questions, making comments, and sharing poems. I understand and appreciate that everyone will participate in discussions differently, which is fine. But I do expect everyone to participate. Furthermore, participation includes your oral and written comments on assigned readings and workshop drafts written by your peers.
Final Portfolio: 25%. This project includes collecting your drafts and revisions in an organized fashion and writing an introduction that describes your poetic development.
Required Texts:
Be sure to bring the appropriate text(s) to class every day.
Geography III, Elizabeth Bishop
Beautiful in the Mouth, Keetje Kuipers
Wind in a Box, Terrance Hayes
House and Fire, Maria Hummel
Lunch Poems, Frank O’Hara
Romey’s Order, Atsuro Riley
Blackboard handouts: print for class.
Other Materials: Bring a notebook (or journal) and pen with you every day, not only to take notes during discussion, but also to try out different poetic techniques as exercises and to draft your poems. (As poets, you should get used to carrying some sort of notebook with you all the time. You never know when you’ll need it. And the more you see your daily observations as a source for poetry, the better.) You also need a folder or binder—some system of organization for the large number of drafts you will collect over the course of the semester. You’ll need these materials for your final portfolio—Don’t throw anything out!
Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory. After two absences, any absence or tardiness thereafter will lower your total grade for the course by 3 points. If you miss 6 or more classes, you will fail the course. If you miss a class, you are still responsible for covered material and assignment deadlines.
Special Accommodations: Students who need special accommodations in class and/or during testing should make an individual appointment with me as soon as possible to ensure that the proper arrangements can be made.
Academic Honesty: No act of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. In English courses, most cases of academic dishonesty involve plagiarism, such as copying the words and ideas from secondary (including internet) sources. Penalties for academic misconduct ranges from failure of the course to suspension from the university. Please refer to UNCG’s policies regarding academic honesty at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu/violation/plagiarism/
Syllabus: This is a work-in-progress and is subject to change if necessary.
1/14 Introduction. Objectives.
1/16 Unpacking poems.
1/21 Bishop’s Geography III
1/23 Bishop’s Geography III, Roethke’s “How to Write Like Somebody Else” (Bb)
1/28 Poetry Assignment #1 Due, O’Hara’s Lunch Poems
1/30 O’Hara’s Lunch Poems
2/4 Poetry Assignment #2 Due, Kuipers’s Beautiful in the Mouth
2/6 Kuipers’s Beautiful in the Mouth
2/11 Poetry Assignment #3 Due, Hayes’s Wind in a Box
2/13 Hayes’s Wind in a Box
Shara Lessley Poetry Reading, Faculty Center, 7pm.
2/18 Poetry Assignment #4 Due, Riley’s Romey’s Order
2/20 Riley’s Romey’s Order
2/25 Poetry Assignment #5 Due, Hummel’s House and Fire
2/27 NO CLASS MEETING
3/4 Hummel’s House and Fire, 25-Poem Sprint Due.
3/6 Workshop.
3/11-3/13 No Class: Spring Break
3/18 Workshop
3/20 Workshop.
3/25 Addonizio on Revision (Bb). Roderick Revisions (Bb). Revision Exercises 1 & 2 (Bb, optional). Discussion of final portfolios.
3/27 Workshop.
Maria Hummel Poetry Reading, Faculty Center, 7pm.
4/1 Workshop.
4/3 Workshop.
4/8 Workshop.
4/10 Workshop.
4/15 Workshop.
4/17 Workshop.
4/22 Workshop.
4/24 Workshop.
4/29 Wrap-up. Course evaluations.
5/6 Final Portfolio Due. My office (MHRA 3310). Noon.