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:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/SCAMPUS/gov/.
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:
http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/SJACS/.