Perhaps my greatest drive for wanting to teach a course like this, though, is that I am unsatisfied with what I perceive as poets' lack of interest in the architecture of their poetry. Lines give form, shape audience reaction, build music. My hope for the course is that we will have interesting, intense and insightful discussions on poetry this term. I encourage you to open yourself to new ideas, to challenge your own views and methods, and to be ready for anything. Even so, a poem is a made thing, an impulse given form.
Ideas become deeper and clearer as they are challenged and reformed.
I encourage debate. I support controversy. Poetry will survive our investigations. Most of our work will be reading and discussing theory and poems. Please do keep up with the readings, and take an active role in class discussions.