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English 304/section 32659, Spring 2011

Introduction to Poetry Writing

Instructor: Cecilia Woloch (woloch@usc.edu)

Tuesdays, 2- 4:20 p.m.; VKC105

Required texts:

THE DISCOVERY OF POETRY, by Frances Mayes

HIP LOGIC, by Terrance Hayes

WHAT THE LIVING DO, by Marie Howe

Aug 23: Class introductions; discussion of syllabus

In-Class Writing Exercise: Wordplay/”The Secret Game of Poetry”

Reading Assignment: Read from Mayes text, "Invitation” (foreword): also read Hip Logic by Terrance Hayes

Writing Assignment: “Gram of &’s” poem; bring copies to next class.

Aug. 30: Discuss reading assignment; workshop “Gram of &’s” poems; read aloud Ferlingetti’s “Autobiography;” Jan Beatty’s “Red Sugar;” poems from What the Living Do

In-Class Writing Exercise: 1-page autobiography/catalogue

Reading Assignment: Mayes, Chapter 1, "Sources and Approaches," and poems (to page 24); What the Living Do by Marie Howe; handouts by Trethewey, Ashberry, O’Hara, Koertge, Akhmatova, Kunitz

Writing Assignment: “A Brief History of My Life”/ autobiographical poem; bring copies to next class.

Sept. 6: Discuss reading assignment; workshop autobiographical poems (first half)

Reading Assignment: Mayes, Chapter 2, “Texture and Sound,” to pg. 50; second half of autobiographical poems. Make written comments on your classmates’ poems and bring two typed copies of your comments on each poem (on separate pages) to the next class.

Sept. 13: Discuss reading assignment; workshop remaining autobiographical poems

In-class writing exercise: Pure description (sans simile, metaphor)

Reading Assignment: Mayes, Chapter 3, “Images: The Perceptual Field;” and poems on pages 109-115 and 130-137; handouts: poems by Nurske, Karr, Compton, Hirshfield, Constantine, Barresi, Shepherd

Writing Assignment: "The Beach of My Mom”/ extended metaphor or catalogue of metaphors

Sept. 20: Discuss reading assignment; workshop first half of metaphor poems

Reading Assignment: Mayes, Chapter 4, “The Speaker: The Eye of the Poem;” read second half of metaphor poems and make written comments; bring two copies of your comments on each poem to the next class.

Sept. 27: Discuss reading assignment; workshop metaphor poems (second half); read aloud handouts by Marilyn Nelson

In-class exercise: "Why I Am Not a Painter”

Reading assignment: Mayes, Chapter 5, "Rhyme and Repetition;" handouts: poems by Lorca, Bowman, Wilbur, Alberti, St. John, Maclay

Writing assignment: Color/obsession poem

Oct 3: Marilyn Nelson reading

Oct. 4: Discuss reading assignment; workshop color poems (first half)

Reading Assignment: second half of color poems and make written comments; bring copies of comments to class

Oct. 10: Workshop Color poems (second half); brief lecture and discussion of meter; evolution of accentual/syllabic system of verse-making

Reading Assignment: Mayes, Chapter 6: “Meter;” handouts by Nelson, Hacker, Williams, et al.

Writing assignment: Three lines of iambic pentameter in the vernacular.

Oct. 17: Discuss reading assignment

In-class exercise: collaborative sonnet; 15-minute sonnet exercise.

Reading Assignment: Mayes Chapter 8, "Traditional and Open Forms;" also handouts on the pantoum, the villanelle and the sestina.

Writing Assignment: formal poem (chose one of the above forms)

Oct. 25: Workshop formal poems (first half)

Reading Assignment: read second half of formal poems and make written comments; Mayes, Chapter 7: “Free Verse;” handouts by Whitman (from “Song of Myself”), Ginsberg (“Howl” and “A Supermarket in California.”) Impt: Bring copies of “Howl” to next week’s class!

Nov. 1: Workshop second half of formal poems. Read “Howl” aloud as a class.

Reading Assignment: handouts (Ginsberg's "America;" Coleman's "Angel Baby Blues;" Patricia Smith’s “Undertaker;” Kearney's "Creed;" Christina Lovin's "I Believe")

Writing Assignment: Rant or Manifesto/catalogue poem

Nov. 8: Workshop catalogue/rant poems (first half)

Reading Assignment: second half of Catalogue/Rant poems and make written comments; Mayes, Chapter 11, “A Poet’s Handbook”

Nov. 15: Workshop second half of catalogue/rant poems; lecture/discussion of revision strategies. Assignment: Substantive revision of two poems; begin assembling final portfolio

Nov. 22: No class meeting; schedule conference with instructor in re: revisions

Assignment: assemble final portfolio

Nov. 29: Final class meeting: turn in final portfolios; class party/poetry reading

CLASS POLICIES:

Please see the attached statement in re: student behavior, students with disabilities, and academic integrity.

Please be on time for class and keep up with the reading assignments, which have been designed to guide you in the writing assignments.

Please bring all texts with you to every class meeting, along with all copies of hand-outs — especially the poems for that week’s workshop.

You are responsible for bringing typed copies of your poems for everyone in the class on the dates assignments are due. You are expected to offer your classmates constructive criticism on their work, both in class discussions and by way of written comments.

Each week that a new writing assignment is due, we will distribute copies of all poems and workshop approximately half of them. The other half of the poems must be read before the next class meeting, and written comments – approximately one paragraph, 150 to 200 words – should be prepared and brought to class. Your comments should be typed and should include your name and the name of the poem under discussion as well as its author. Bring two copies of your comments on each poem to the next class meeting: one to refer to during the discussion and to give to the author of the poem after the discussion; the other to be handed in to me. Your comments should provide evidence that you’ve read your classmates’ work carefully, and that you’ve read and understood the assigned readings on craft.

Absences: Because this class is a workshop meeting only once a week, attendance is mandatory and participation in discussions will be an important component of final grades. More than one absence will lower your grade. If you are absent when poems are handed out, it is your responsibility to obtain copies of the poems before the next class meeting, and to have prepared written comments on the poems — both those poems that were discussed in the class you missed and poems to be workshopped in class the week you return.

You are required to turn in a portfolio of your work at the end of the semester, including all assigned poems and in-class writing exercises, substantive revisions of at least two of your poems (revisions attached to original and clearly marked as such), as well as a sample of the comments you made on your classmates’ poems. Final portfolios must be submitted by the last class meeting; you will also have the option of submitting an electronic version of your portfolio, in lieu of a hard copy, via e-mail, no later than noon on the day of our final class meeting.

Final Grades: Participation and contribution to class discussions: 30%

On-time submission of writing assignments and comments: 35%

Final portfolio: 35%

Student Behavior, Disability, and Integrity

Student Behavior

Behavior that persistently or grossly interferes with classroom activities is considered disruptive behavior and may be subject to disciplinary action. Such behavior inhibits other students’ ability to learn and an instructor’s ability to teach. A student responsible for disruptive behavior may be required to leave class pending discussion and resolution of the problem and may be reported to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs for disciplinary action. These strictures may extend to behaviors outside the classroom that are related to the course.

Students with Disabilities

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m.--5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

Academic Integrity

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect one's own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another's work as one's own. All students are expected to understand and abide by these principles. SCampus, the Student Guidebook, contains the Student Conduct Code in Section 11.00, while the recommended sanctions are located in Appendix A:

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Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further review, should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found at:

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