Poetry Writing I is a comprehensive 10-week workshop that combines instructor lectures, practical writing exercises, and collaborative critique sessions of student work. This course welcomes beginners as well as experienced writers who wish to strengthen their foundational skills in the poetic arts.
Consider poetry as the caviar of literature; tiny but intense expressions packed with remarkable flavor. Think of it as concentrated power where each word carries explosive potential. Throughout millennia, poetry has demonstrated enduring power, drawing in the most devoted and passionate readers. If you find yourself moved by the song of distant voices, the sensation of wind across open space, or the imagery of dawn breaking in golden ribbons across the horizon, you belong among those who understand poetry's profound appeal.
To compose powerful poetry, you must master the craft of delivering maximum impact through economical word choice. In this course, you will study the specialized techniques, rigorous demands, and diverse forms that define poetry. You will also learn practical strategies for marketing your completed work.
Whether you aspire to write poetry for publication or live performance, for yourself or for audiences worldwide, we will guide you in crafting exceptional verse.
This course provides comprehensive foundational training in poetry craft while engaging you in the creative process of writing one or two finished poems. The course includes the following components:
- Instructor lectures covering core concepts and techniques
- Structured writing exercises designed to build specific skills
- Workshopping sessions where each student presents their work twice for peer and instructor feedback
Online Class Structure:
- Week 1: Introduction to Poetry covers the defining characteristics of poetry; the strategic use of line breaks; figurative language and visual imagery; sound elements including rhythm, meter, and rhyme schemes; distinctions between free verse and formal poetry; and techniques for discovering and developing poetic inspiration.
- Week 2: Line breaks and Poetic Space explores how line division affects overall rhythm and sonic qualities, the visual and emotional impact of white space, and how these elements contribute to reader interpretation.
- Week 3: Figurative Language and Imagery examines metaphor, simile, personification, onomatopoeia, and synesthesia; techniques for discovering evocative images; and methods for rendering images with vividness and clarity.
- Week 4: Sound and Prosody investigates rhythm and metrical patterns, rhyme and its variations, repetition as a device, alliteration, assonance, and consonance as sound-building tools.
- Week 5: Classical Poetic Forms introduces the sonnet, sestina, villanelle, pantoum, haiku, haibun, apostrophe, and narrative forms.
- Week 6: Contemporary and Experimental Forms explores the prose poem, found poetry, persona-driven work, ekphrasis, and contemporary narrative approaches.
- Week 7: Developing Your Voice clarifies what constitutes voice and vision in poetry; examines different voice types and aesthetic approaches; provides strategies for discovering your distinctive voice; and addresses how style contributes to unique expression.
- Week 8: Imitation, Influence, and Thematic Development teaches how to gain both technical knowledge and creative inspiration through imitation of established poets; explores how to respond to specific themes; and guides you in developing your unique artistic perspective.
- Week 9: The Revision Process covers the stages of revision; methods for objectively evaluating your work; the discipline of reduction and distillation; and the judgment required to recognize when a poem achieves completion.
- Week 10: Publication and the Poetry Community addresses finding appropriate markets for your work, understanding the submission process, and ways to participate actively in the contemporary poetry scene.
Note: Content may vary among individual classes.
About Our Online Program:
- Our online classes connect students from every corner of the globe to Gotham, New York City's premier writing school.
- The online classes operate asynchronously, which means you are not required to participate in real-time sessions. You can engage with class materials and coursework at any time of day or night, though the course progresses on a weekly schedule with specific deliverables expected to be completed within each week.
- You can participate in our online writing courses from anywhere with an internet connection. While the majority of our online students reside in the U.S., our enrollment spans practically every country worldwide.
- Technical support services are available throughout your course.
- Beyond the flexibility of time and location, you retain a permanent record of all course materials and discussions, which you can download, print, and preserve for future reference and study. Course materials are provided in text and image formats rather than video.
