AIMS

This course will enable students to develop and hone skills as readers and writers of poetry.   It is also designed to assist students in their critical thinking skills, their reading skills, and their own deepening commitments to scholarship and creativity.  In addition, students will locate their own work, as well as the many schools of American poetry, within the larger literary historical setting. 

TEXTS

The Voice that is Great within Us, edited by Hayden Carruth

Letters to A Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke

Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg

ASSIGNMENTS

Assignments will include the careful preparation of ten poems for the weekly workshops, the reading of class texts and preparation of twelve reading journals, the oral presentation on a poet, the composition of two letters to classmates about their poetry, the memorization and oral presentation of a poem, the crafting of a personal poetics statement,  and poetry portfolio which will contain the revisions of all poems.

All poems submitted for this class are to be new and composed for the class.  They are not to rhyme.  They must all be typed. They should be polished and ready for human consumption by the time they are submitted. 

Reading Journals will be typed.  They will respond directly to the reading at hand and also include creative work (poetry) that is also in response to that reading. 

The Oral Presentation must be about a poet who is included in our anthology.  You will be expected to research and read as much of that poet's work as you can find.  You will determine the poet's major project/ style and where that poet fits in the larger sense of American literary history.

Letters to Classmates will demonstrate attentiveness to what other student writers are doing in their poetry.  They will notice areas of success as well as areas for amplification, clarification and improvement.  They are to be two to three typed pages. One copy is to be submitted to me and one copy to students.

The Memorization and Oral Presentation of a Poem will help you get into the poem's rhythm and sound.  It will help you become intimate with another poet's voice.

The Poetics Statement will ask you to contextualize your poetry and its growth over the course of the semester.  It should be two to three typed pages in length.

The Poetry Portfolio will include revised versions of poems written for class.  Include the originals with my comments on them and letters received from classmates.

PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE

There is no way to pass this course if more than six classes are missed.  Anything after four absences will be computed on a day by day basis lowering your grade one full letter each day.  In other words, be here; be here all the time.  Since your continued commentary one one another's poems and the careful reading of the texts are considered critical to your success in this course, your attendance and your careful and prepared participation are mandatory.

GRADING

Reading Journals   24 pts

Memorization of Poem  11 pts

Poems (including Poetry Portfolio and Poetic Statement)   45 pts

Letters     10 pts

Presentation    10 pts

Attend all three fiction readings 5 pts extra credit

Perfect Attendance (including preparation)  5 pts extra credit

Total     110 points possible

A 100-95 points

A- 95-90 points

B+ 89-88 points

B 87-85 points

B- 84-80 points

C+ 79-77 points

C 76-70 points

D 60-69 points

F below 60 points