Poetry Writing: Exploring Contemporary Poetry Collections

Overview

Each week we will focus on a single contemporary poetry collection, discussing some of the poems and using these as inspiration to create new work. Students will be encouraged to think critically and reflectively about their own writing, to experiment with a range of poetic styles and techniques, and to revise and edit their work. The course is suitable for people who have some previous experience of writing poetry. We will discuss and seek inspiration from several contemporary poets (including Clare Shaw, Ocean Vuong, Emily Berry, and Joe Carrick-Varty) and examine what holds a poetry collection together, reflecting on the use of a recurring motif or exploration of a theme, and considering how the arrangement of poems might affect the reader’s experience. This discussion will include poetic form, poetic techniques (such as metaphor), and prose poetry.

Programme

We will begin the course by focusing on different aspects of poetic form such as the prose poem, and more experimental forms that play with the possibilities of white space. We will discuss and seek inspiration from several contemporary poets, including Clare Shaw, Ocean Vuong, Emily Berry, and Joe Carrick Varty, as well as some of the Modernist poets. We will get to grips with the editing process, exploring a range of revision techniques. Finally, we will examine what holds a poetry collection together, reflecting on the use of a recurring motif or exploration of a theme, and considering how the arrangement of poems might affect the reader’s experience. We will also look at various options for publication (for individual poems, pamphlets, or full collections).

Learning Outcomes 

1. Produce a portfolio of poetry, assembled over the course of the module.
2. Demonstrate understanding of how poems can be linked together using theme, style, mode, or motif.
3. Reflect on their own and others’ editing and revision process, and effectively edit and revise their own work.
4. Demonstrate an ability to experiment with various aspects of language, form, and other aspects of poetic technique.

Assessments 

1. Portfolio (2000 Words) containing both a creative and a critical component. (100%)

Reading Suggestion 

Reading suggestions will be offered throughout the course. 

Entry Requirements 

The course is suitable for people who have some previous experience of writing poetry. 

What Do I Need? 

As this is an online course, you would need the following: 

• Internet access.
• Access to a laptop or computer with a web camera and microphone; the use of headphones might also be of benefit.
• Use of the Chrome web-browser where possible.