This focus of this course is the craft of writing poetry and
performing spoken word, so this is a writing intensive course that places an
additional emphasis on presentation. The first half of the semester will be
primarily devoted to writing poems with the expectation of revising and polishing
them for performance, which will
be the focus of the second half of the semester. We will be doing in class
writing and performing exercises, and workshops. We will also read and watch
poetry to help us get a better grasp of concepts and craft through example. We
will also be looking at works that speak from “margins” of their societies. Hopefully,
these works will also serve as inspiration for your own writing. In addition, we
will be reading some criticism, because sometimes the best way to begin
unpacking a poem/performance is to find out what other people are saying about
it. In this class, we will be paying close attention to our relationships with
audience, and what types of expectations reside in those kinds alliances. Required
texts will be available through Revolution Books and via Laulima as pdf.
Required Texts:
TBA