About The 3 Rs of Writing Authentic Poems: Read. (W)rite. Revise....This class meets online on Zoom beginning May 12 at 2pm. Your class confirmation email will contain the Zoom class link.
What makes Tony Hoagland, Elizabeth Bishop, Charles Wright, Wislawa Szymborska, Mary Doty and Dorianne Laux sound like no other poets? How do they succeed in making their poems come alive for the reader? Although imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this course will balance imitating craft with maintaining one's own unique take on work, family, love, loss and transcendence. In each session, the instructor will lead a discussion on the works of a master poet examining the aspects of poetic craft that hones an authentic voice into a memorable poem.
Each class you will be asked to write a new poem (or a substantial revision of an existing poem) that incorporates an aspect of that poet's voice and form. The new/revised poems will be critiqued in the following class, after which a new master poet will be introduced.
MATERIALS
Please bring paper, pen or a laptop, if you prefer.
ONLINE WITH ZOOM
You will need to be sure the Zoom app is installed on your device. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing a secure link to join the class.
You will be able to login 15 minutes before the class start time. We recommend logging in before the class starts to make sure you are settled in and ready to go when the class is set to begin.
If you are new to Zoom, please note that we will not be able to help with the app. It is strongly recommended that you navigate Zoom on your own before the class starts to get to know the mute and video settings. Try it out by talking with a friend or family member who has the Zoom app.
ALICE KOCIEMBA
Using humor and memory to celebrate people and place, Alice Kociemba is the author of Bourne Bridge (Turning Point, 2016), and the chapbook Death of Teaticket Hardware. Alice is the founding director of the Calliope Poetry for Community, and since 2009 has facilitated a monthly Poetry Discussion Group at the Falmouth Public Library. She has also served as the Guest Editor of the 2015 & 2016 editions of Common Threads, the poetry discussion project of Mass Poetry, and is on the editorial team of From the Farther Shore: Discovering Cape Cod and the Islands Through Poetry (forthcoming from Bass River Press).