This workshop is designed for those who are just beginning to write poetry or have some experience but seek more guidance and feedback. We'll dive into the formal aspects of poetry—such as lines, enjambments, and stanzas—as well as questions of image- and sound-making. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the basics of the writing process, especially revision, with a focus on how to begin, develop, and refine your poems. By studying the evolution of poetic forms and examining the work of established poets, you’ll see how history shapes current practice. There will also be opportunities to experiment through original compositions, showcasing the rewards and challenges of working with various techniques. While we may not finish every poem we start, this course is all about laying a strong foundation and pursuing the art of poetry with earnestness and passion.
• In-Class Writing Lift: Light
• Homework: Required
• Workshopping Drafts: Intensive
Christian Detisch is a writer whose poems, essays, and criticism have appeared or are forthcoming in The Rumpus, 32 Poems, Image, Blackbird and elsewhere. He received his MFA in poetry from Virginia Commonwealth University and his M.Div from the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale Divinity School. He works as a chaplain in Asheville, North Carolina.
Christian is new to The Porch. Welcome!
