Students read about the creation and composition of poetry and discuss such topics as poetry and memory, image, metaphor, allusion, found poetry, surrealism, tone and persona, lyric forms, poetic archetypes, shaped poetry, and the poetic tradition. C. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course I. Students write poems and bring photocopies of their work to class. Manuscript preparation follows profesional guidelines used in submission of material to magazine editors. Workshop format requires students to read their work to their classmates for comment, criticism, and commendation. Workshop format also requires students to be active listeners and critics of their classmates' work.
Students learn to offer and receive criticism and praise in meaningful and mature ways.
While student work and reading take priority, there is ample time for reading and discussion of composition theory. Students are free to emphasize any topic or problem touched on in the assigned reading for the week. Videotapes of poetry readings are used as often as possible in the classroom. All or some students may arrange to give a poetry reading in the Student Center or in a dormitory lounge. Many of the students may submit their work to the campus literary magazine, or to other magazines, and learn the realities of having work published.