Poetry Syllabus REVISED
Poetry Writing Workshop
Jane Belton
Syllabus May 2011
REVISED
Thursday 5/19
In Class: Exercise 10 due (typed). Workshop Day 1
Assignment: 1) Begin focused revision work on Exercise 11 (Freewrite 5). Your revised exercise 11 (typed) and your focused revision work (Freewrite 5) will be due Wednesday 5/25. Read your classmates’ poems for workshop.
Friday 5/20
In Class: Workshop Day 2
Assignment: 1) Work on revising your exercises/workshopped pieces according to feedback. 2) Read and annotate classmates’ poems for workshop. 3) For Monday, bring in exercises you can work on in class (I have reserved laptops, if you want to work on revisions on computers)
Monday 5/23
In Class: Work period: Work on revising exercises and workshopped pieces for Portfolio II. You can also work on Exercise 11 and Freewrite 5, which is due Wednesday.
Assignment: 1) Read and annotate classmates’ poems for workshop. 2) Complete Exercise 11 and Freewrite 5 3) Work on revising materials for Portfolio II (see checklist).
Tuesday 5/24 – No Class
Wednesday 5/25
In Class: Exercise 11 and Freewrite 5 due. Workshop Day 3
Assignment: Read and annotate poems for workshop. Work on revising your exercises/workshopped pieces according to feedback. Prepare materials for Portfolio II (see checklist).
Thursday 5/26
In Class: Workshop Day 4
Assignment: 1) Complete Portfolio II, due Friday by 8:30 in my office. 2) Complete Focused Freewrite #6 due Wednesday 6/1 (2-3 pages, typed): Part I: Closely examine the outside poetry collection you’ve chosen for the trimester. What do you notice about how the book of poetry is organized? Are there clearly defined sections (defined by the poet with section titles, for instance)? What are the arcs, transitions, movements, shifts within the collection as a whole? Is there a clear journey the collection follows, a clear story it tells (a beginning, middle, and end), a clear “thread”? Are there recurring themes, images or concerns that tie the pieces together? Part II: Now, look back at all of your own writing this trimester. What themes, images, or concerns do you seem interested with in your work? What “threads” do you see in your own work? What do you want to showcase or highlight in your final portfolio? How might you organize this work? What journey/story/thread do you want your reader to take or follow in reading your final collection of poems? How do you want your final portfolio to begin and end? What additional poems do you need to write now to fit into this final portfolio collection and help complete this “journey”? Then: Write at least one of those additional poems for Wednesday 6/1.
Friday 5/27 — No Class — Portfolio II due by 8:30 am in my office
Monday 5/30 – No Class
Tuesday 5/31 – No Class
Wednesday 6/1
In Class: Freewrite 6 due. Work period/conferencing
Assignment: Work on organizing and revising work for Portfolio III. Work on introduction to your final portfolio (see checklist for details). Prepare to read a selection of your work (5-7 minutes) at our scheduled exam time.
Thursday 6/2
In Class: Work period/ conferencing
Assignment: Complete final portfolio. See checklist for details.
Friday 6/3 – Reading Day: Schedule an appointment with me in advance!
Your final portfolio is due at our scheduled exam slot