Push, play, bend, and break poetic forms, as we explore the limits of the possible and write innovative new poems.
‘I believe content determines form, and yet that content is discovered only in form. Like everything living, it is a mystery. The revelation of form itself can be a deep joy; yet I think form as means should never obtrude…’ – Denise Levertov
When is a sonnet still a sonnet, and when is it not? How far can you stretch form, and why would you? And let’s not forget the formal elements in Free Verse, which we know is not truly “free” and must work according to its own rules, functioning as a “poem-machine” situated in white space, with ears tuned to prosody, music, and expression. What are the ways we can innovate with free verse? And where is the boundary between poetry and prose?
Our focus on this course will be encounters with innovative contemporary poems and inventive approaches to form, all as inspiration for your own writing; along the way we’ll read exciting work from writers including Baudelaire, Jorie Graham, Terrance Hayes, Victoria Chang, Anne Carson, Luke Kennard, and Jericho Brown.
This is a course for adventurous poets who delight in learning the rules so they can then push them to their limits, and beyond; throughout the term we’ll create an unconventional and playful space, devoted to experimentation and invention, coupled with generous and developmental feedback on your own work. So, join us for this Masterclass, as we explore the full possibilities of form and the unbounded creativity to be found in its constraints!