Creative Writing

Online: Poetry of the Now: Writing through Contemporary Poets

We are living through a time that is rich with contemporary poets writing exciting poems, and you could be one too! In this four week course, we will explore poetry of the moment through the winner and finalists of the 2021 National Book Award for Poetry. Each session will have guided discussion that focuses on borrowing craft elements and being inspired by creative genius for our own work. We will also spend class time following generative creative writing prompts inspired by the poets. Featured texts include: Desiree C. Bailey’s What Noise Against the Cane, Martín Espada’s Floaters, Douglas Kearney’s Sho, Hoa Nguyen’s A Thousand Times You Lose Your Treasure, and Jackie Wang’s The Sunflower Cast a Spell to Save Us From the Void. Participants have the option of reading all five books, or just instructor-provided selected passages. Suitable for readers and writers alike.

This class will be held online, via Zoom. Students must be 18 years of age or older to enroll.