Techniques of Poetry, English 570
Fall 2014
Class Days: Mondays
Class Times: 3.30-6.10
Class Location: AH 2116
Professor: Ilya Kaminsky
Contact Information: ilya_kaminsky@yahoo.com
Office Hours Days: Mondays 7-8pm by appointment
Office Hours Location: AL 211
Course Overview
This is a class on various textures of poetic language: the details, images, sounds, the aspects of a line,
line-break, metaphor, tone, will be considered in depth in this class on poetry and poetics. What
approaches do poets from around the world take to change tone, find a new perspective? Poetry, Ezra
Pound claimed, was Original research in language. We will work to make sure our new poems live up to
that notion.
We will try to find guidance in poems from various different traditions of Poland, France, Ireland, Asian,
African and Australian continents, and our own Enlglish/American tradition. We will read these poems
very attentively and respond extensively with our own writings.
There will also be numerous visiting poets (in person or by skype) who will talk to us about their craft
and their view of poetry and poetics. This will give you a chance to speak to acclaimed living poets about
their techniques.
SDSU Description of Explorations course in the area of Humanities and Fine Arts: Completing this course
will help you to do the following in greater depth: 1) analyze written, visual or performed texts in the
humanities and fine arts with sensitivity to their diverse cultural contexts and historical moments; 2) Describe
various aesthetic and other value systems and the ways they are communicated across time and cultures; 3)
argue from multiple perspectives about issues in the humanities that have personal and global relevance; 4)
demonstrate the ability to approach complex problems and ask complex questions drawing upon knowledge of
the humanities.
SDSU Description of the class & List of Required Prerequisites for Undergraduate Students: Techniques
of poetry from the writer's point of view. Introduction to critical and theoretical literature on poetry. Includes a
creative writing workshop.
Student Learning Outcomes: Completing the class will help you to—
1) gain more in-depth knowledge about poetry and poetics from around the globe,
2) gain more in-depth knowledge about the specific tools of poetic craft,
3) demonstrate the ability to implement these complex tools of poetic craft in your own writing.
Enrollment Information
Prerequisites for undergraduate students: Three lower division units in literature and/or creative writing and
English 280.
Course Materials
Required Books for our Class Discussion:
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Ecco Anthology of International Poetry (Harper Collins Publishers)
Gendered & Written: Forums on Poetics (Locked Horn Press)
Building the Barricade and other Poems of Anna Swir by Anna Swir (Calypso Editions)
Stomach of the Soul: Poems by Sylva Fischerová (Calypso Editions)
The New Testament by Jericho Brown (Copper Canyon Press)
Blood Lyrics by Katie Ford (Graywolf Press)
The Factory of Tears by Valzhyna Mort (Copper Canyon Press)
Storm Toward Morning by Malachi Black (Copper Canyon Press)
Individual Reading Assignments
In addition to the above, individual reading assignments will be made, based on your writing. The
idea here is to provide you with individualized attention, and to expand your craft.
Online Podcasts
This class will give you an in depth over-view of poetics from around the world. In addition to your
conversations with me, and your Q and A with visiting poets, I highly encourage you to listen to Poetry
Foundation’s Free Online podcasts. Many poets who are interviewed for their International Poets in
Conversation series will be the authors we will discuss in this class (eg Mort, Zagajewski, Murray, etc.).
So, this particular series is something you may want to check out in your spare time. Here is the link:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/foundation/internationalconversation
Course Structure and Conduct
Structure
The course will consist of three elements: lecture/discussion/presentations, individual mentorship, and
creative writing workshop, which will not be treated separately, but rather as integral components of a
course in poetry and poetics.
During our lecture/discussion we will concentrate on our study of various poems from around the world:
litanies, narratives, lyrics, meditations, spirituals, protests, love songs, etc. On line-by-line basis, we will
discuss the process, the forms, and possibilities of music, image, and tone in the short piece. We will try
to find guidance in individual poems from various traditions from around the world.
Because this class, in many ways, will be about creating your own connections to a larger tradition, I will
expect to spend a great deal of time working with each of you on the individual mentorship basis: you
will be assigned a hefty individual reading list which will be based on your own poetry (which I will read
prior to assigning those books). You will submit weekly reading journals based on your readings, and we
will discuss how these journals can improve/expand your own writing.
Because this is not a small, intimate-setting workshop course, we will consider different ways of holding
our workshop sessions to benefit you best. More information on this is forthcoming. But please know
that while workshop is not the main component of this class, we will use it to expand your own idea of
writing, revision and learning of poetic craft.
Graduate Students: The above structure concerns undergraduate students. Graduate students will follow
it as well, but will have additional assignments, such as at least one in-depth in-class presentation, and
additional reading/journals/discussion assignments.
Course Assessment and Grading
Grading
Class Participation (10% of your final grade) – When discussing literature, make salient points
illustrated by quotations from the text.
Weekly Reading Journals (40% of your final grade) – You will be assigned a heavy individual reading
list. In addition to our main text for the course (Ecco Anthology of International Poetry) and books by
visiting authors (Katie Ford, Valzhyna Mort, Jericho Brown, Malachi Black, Swir/Florczyk, Fisherova,
etc.), at least 5 additional books will be individually assigned to undergraduates. At least 10 additional
books will be assigned to graduate students. I encourage you all to use library or inter-library loans for
these books. The weekly journal will consist of your favorite passages and creative responses on the
books you are reading. At least 5 pages a week of favorite passages and 1 page of creative responses will
be expected from undergraduates. At least 10 pages a week of favorite passages and 2 pages of creative
responses will be expected from graduate students.
Memorized poems (10%) You will be expected to memorize at least two poems of minimum 15 lines.
One of those poems should be by another author. Second poem may be by another author or yourself.
Final Project (30%) Final project will consist of various ways to bring poetry to the larger public in a
way that is thoughtful, articulate and innovative. Excellent final projects from past years included starting
an online forum on poetry or poetics, online or print literary journal, a reading series, a literary press, a
website/blog dedicated to serious discussion of a particular poet or particular poetic device (metaphor,
image, etc.), a verse theater, and so on. There are many, many different formats your final project can
take. It can be very large scale. Or, it can be very minimal. The ambition of the project is not important
(although I do encourage it); the excellence of final product is what we are after. You will be expected to
work in a group-setting and your group will be given time to meet and discuss your proposed final
project.
Library/Literary Magazines Project (10%) You will be expected to gain an in-depth knowledge about
contemporary literary journals that focus on poetry and poetics. As a class we will take a trip to the library
to see what kinds of journals publish contemporary poetry. I will also give you various examples for first-
rate online compilations or archives of poetry. As a part of this project your group will compile a small
anthology (e.g. your version of Best American Poetry anthology) that will show that you have learned
about various available sources of contemporary poetry in print or online. This is usually an easy and fun
project and students usually tend to enjoy learning about new sources/publications of contemporary
poetry that are available to them in print or online.
Although not required, I will also highly encourage you to submit your own work for publication as
well. My students who have taken this course before have been able to publish their own writing widely
in literary magazines and several also won literary competitions and published books. I hope you will be
able to do the same. This project is expected to provide you with an informative starting point.
Portfolio: during this class you will have many opportunities to write new poems and consider various
ways to revise them. At the end of the semester, you will be expected to e-mail me a portfolio of 5 new
poems that you wrote (and revised!) during this semester.
Presentations by Graduate Students: Graduate students will also be expected to make a minimum 2030 minutes in-depth presentation on a particular poetic tradition. This presentation is required for
graduate students in order to pass the course.
Absence Policy
I have zero tolerance towards unexplained absences. If you miss a class without explanation, your grade
will be reduced by 10%. Be on time. If you are tardy twice, it counts as one absence. I do allow a
maximum of two documented (e.g. doctor’s, school official’s, military official’s or work administrator’s
note) absence.
REMINDER OF DEADLINES
 Weekly Journals: due every class. If you do not want to print them out, you may submit them by
email at: poetryjournals@yahoo.com
 Library Project: November 17
 Recitation: last class, December 8
 Portfolios: due by email, last class, December 8
 Presentation of your final project: last class, December 8