Week 1, Aug. 30
Introduction to the Course

Reading Assignments to be discussed next week:
Frances Mayes:  Selections from  Discovery of Poetry:  "Words:  Texture and Sound" and "Images:  The Perceptual Field"

Sylvia Plath:  "Poppies in October"
                     "Morning Song"

William Carlos Williams:  "The Sparrow"

Lorine Niedecker:  From My Friend Tree:  "The clothesline post" and "Well, spring"

Writing Assignment (due next week):
After reading the selection from Discovery of Poetry, choose one poem and write a two-page paper focusing on how you think figurative language is used in the poem.  These papers will help form the basis for our class discussion.

Week 2, Sept. 6
Figurative Language-Part 1
What is it?  How does it function in a poem?

Lecture/Discussion:
Students will split into pairs and share their papers with one another.  Class will then reconvene as a group to discuss figurative language generally, and in specific as related to the poems under discussion next week.

Reading Assignments to be discussed next week:
Selections from The Prose Poem:  An International Anthology
Cormac McCarthy:  Excerpt from Blood Meridian
Robert Gluck:  Excerpt from Margery Kempe

Writing Assignment (due next week):
At least five tercets (three lines) which focus on bringing images to life.  This is a chance to call on each of your five senses:  What do you see?  hear?  taste?  smell?  Think in terms of specificity rather than generality.  Have fun with it!

Week 3, Sept. 13
Figurative Language-Part 2
How do prose writers use figurative language?
We will look at fiction and the prose poem.

Reading Assignment to be discussed next week:
Selections from Discovery of Poetry

Writing Assignment (due next week):
At least two short poems which illustrate some aspect of form or meter.  Include working notes which illustrate what you were working with/ thinking about/ experimenting with in the poems.

Week 4, Sept. 20
Forms of poetry

Lecture/Discussion:
Discussion of form and meter, using student exercises as examples.

Week 5, Sept. 27
Uses of  a Writing Journal

Lecture/Discussion:
Discussion of  how to effectively use a writing journal to promote individual writing practice.  In-class writing exercises to stimulate further writing will be assigned.

Writing Assignment (due next week):
Completion of one of the journal writing exercises to be discussed in class.

Week 6, Oct. 4
Viewing and discussion of  a multi-genre anthology tape from American Poetry Archives (e.g. "Women Working in Literature)

Writing Assignment (due next week):
Select an image, line, idea, sound, etc. from your journal notes taken during the viewing of the tape.  Use this as a way into a new piece of writing (all forms acceptable).  You may think of this as a kind of "dialogue" with the work you are responding to from the tape.

Reading Assignments for Next Week*:
Karen Brodine:  "Woman Sitting at the Machine, Thinking"
Erica Hunt:  Selections from Local History
Kevin Magee:  Selections from Tedium Drum
*Students will be asked to specifically prepare comments on one piece for class discussion.

Week 7, Oct. 11
Subjectivity in Contemporary Poetry

How do we write about the self?
Contemporary poets have employed divergent strategies for addressing the issue of subjectivity.  The week we will investigate poems by three poets who may in some sense be said to address working class experience in late 20th century capitalism, while at the same time employing widely different writing practices.  How can these writers be said to be inscribing "history" in their work?

Students up for next week need to bring 27 copies of the piece they want discussed to hand out to classmates today.

Reading Assignments for Next Week:
"What The Writer Needs To Know From Us (and in this order)"
Student Writings for Workshop

Week 8, Oct. 18
Workshop (Half of class)

This week we will conduct a workshop using student work written in response to last week's writing assignment.

Reading Assignment for next week:
Handout on creating characters.

Writing Assignment for next week:
Fill out character "Questionnaire"

Week 9, Oct. 25
Creating Characters

Writing Assignment (due next week):
One scene using the character you have created.

Week 10, Nov. 1
Dialogue-Part 1
Fiction

Reading Assignment for next week:
How to Read a Play
Cherrie Moraga:  Giving Up the Ghost

Writing Assignment (due next week):
An elaboration of scene incorporation dialogue.

Week 11, Nov. 8
Dialogue-Part 1
Drama
Setting the scene

Week 12, Nov. 15
Fiction
Structure and plot

Week 13, Nov. 22
Revision

Guests speakers will discuss their writing process.

Students up for next week need to bring 27 copies of their work to hand out today.

Week 14, Nov. 29
Workshop (Second half of class)

Week 15, Dec. 6
Reading and Party. Friends and significant others encouraged to attend!