Professor Dorianne Laux
English 489-Advanced Poetry Writing-11:45-1:00 T/TH-Winston 2
Office Hours: 1:15-2:45 T//TH-261 Tompkins Hall-Phone: 515-4165
Box 8105-NCSU Campus-Raleigh, NC 27695
This critique workshop will give special attention to creating new work through exercises gleaned from
model poems. Submitted work will be discussed with an eye toward various modes of revision. The
course expects students to be familiar with the themes, techniques and elements of poetry writing. We
will read single collections of contemporary poems by a number of recommended authors. Students will
choose a poem from among the course offerings for memorization and recitation and create a handmade
broadside of a chosen poem. Interviews, essays, audio and video recordings and biographical works may
be reviewed as well. The class may also enjoy a visit from a guest poet. The course stresses reading as a
writer, providing a foundation from which students can pursue further studies in poetry writing.
Required Reading: In the Palm of Your Hand: A Poet’s Portable Workshop,
Steve Kowit, NCSU Bookstore, Hillsborough Textbooks (3 locations)
Suggested Readings:
Rose, Li-Young Lee
The Country Between Us, Carolyn Forche
The Moon Reflected Fire, Doug Anderson
What the Living Do, Marie Howe
My Alexandria, Mark Doty
Satan Says, Sharon Olds
Leaving Saturn, Major Jackson
Overtime or Fortune, Joseph Millar
Dark Blonde, Belle Waring
Body Mutinies. Lucia Perillo
Her Slender Dress, Susan Yuzna
The Art of the Lathe, B. H. Fairchild
Here, Bullet, Brian Turner
Clamor, Elyse Fenton
The Shadow of Sirius, W.S. Merwin
Curses and Wishes, Carl Adamschick
NCSU Reading Series Fall Readers:
August 31, Wilton Barnhardt, Jill McCorkle, Studio Theater
September 21, Elyse Fenton, Dorianne Laux, Craft Center
October 17, W.S. Merwin, Studio Theater
November 16, Ron Rash
Spring Reading Series Readers:
April 11, Barbara Ras, Judge for NCSU Poetry Contest