Jessica Jacobs, Hendrix College, ENGC 403: Advanced Poetry Workshop, Spring 2015

Course Schedule: The readings listed for a given date are to be read before that
class. Please arrive ready to discuss.
Week 1: Introductions & Poetry Bootcamp
W, 1.21 Introductions to the course and each other
Poetry BootcampSound & Rhyme, featuring:
Mary Oliver, Sound, More Devices of Sound
Jay-Z, Empire State of Mind
Eminem, Lose Yourself
Homework: Brief history of yourself as a writer, your
intentions/goals in taking this course, any questions
you have for me (500-word minimum). Email to me by no
later than Friday at noon.
Read and sign syllabus.
Week 2: Poetry Bootcamp (continued)
M, 1.26 Poetry BootcampCliches, Images, Metaphors & Similes
Craft: The Poets Companion: Images & Simile & Metaphor
Due: Signed portion of syllabus
W, 1.28 Poetry BootcampGrammar & Line
Craft: The Poets Companion: A Grammatical Excursion & The
Music of the Line
Laure-Anne Bosselaar & Nickole Brown, On Line Breaks
Week 3: Traci Brimhall, Rookery
M, 2.2

Poems: Traci Brimhall literary lineage poems

Introduction to Traci Brimhall: Bonk! Reading (feel free to bring
Rookery and read along)
Due: Writers choice poem
W, 2.4 Poems: Traci Brimhall, Rookery (Proem & Part I, pp. 1-24)
Craft:
Traci Brimhall, A Love So Strong It Nails You to the
World, On Noli Me Tangere
Week 4: Traci Brimhall, Rookery & Laure-Anne Bosselaar
M, 2.9

Poems: Traci Brimhall, Rookery (Part II, pp. 27-53)

Craft:
Traci Brimhall, Devils Lake Interview
Rumpus Interview
Due: Brimhall-inspired Poem, to be shared with class and then

turned in
W, 2.11 Poems: Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Five poems
Traci Brimhall, Rookery (Part III, pp. 55 to the end)
Craft:
Traci Brimhall, Equinox Interview

Jessica Jacobs, Hendrix College, ENGC 403: Advanced Poetry Workshop, Spring 2015

Discussion: RookeryExploration of Book Organization, Imitation

Guidelines
F, 2.13 Shoptalk: Love Poems with Laure-Anne Bosselaar, XXX, Murphy
House
Week 5: Brimhall Wrap-Up & Introduction to Anne Carson
M, 2.16 Skype with Traci Brimhall and Craft Discussion Day
Due: Brimhall-imitation: Love/Anti-Love Poem
W, 2.18 Poems:
The Glass Essay
Craft:
Anne Carson Biography
The Inscrutable Brilliance of Anne Carson
Th, 2.19

Reading with Visiting Writer Kevin Brockmeier, 7:30 Reves Recital

Hall
Week 6: Anne Carson, Autobiography of Red
M, 2.23 Poems: Anne Carson, Autobiography of Red (through p. 20)
Craft:
Anne Carson, Paris Review Interview
Workshop: Group 3
W, 2.25
Poems:Anne Carson, Autobiography of Red (p. 21 through 67,
Memory)
Due: Writers Choice
Week 7: Anne Carson, Autobiography of Red
M, 3.2
Harrods)

Poems:

Anne Carson, Autobiography of Red (p. 68 through 117,

Workshop: Group 1
W, 3.4
end)

Poems:

Anne Carson, Autobiography of Red (p. 118 through the

Discussion: Autobiography of Red Retrospective Overview,

Imitation Guidelines
Due: Carson-inspired poem
Week 8: Poem Hybrids & Sequences
M, 3.9

Discussion: Hybrids & Sequences

Workshop: Group 2

W, 3.11 Discussion: Hybrids & Sequences

Week 9: Poem Hybrids & Sequences
M, 3.16 Discussion: Hybrids & Sequences

Jessica Jacobs, Hendrix College, ENGC 403: Advanced Poetry Workshop, Spring 2015

Workshop: Group 3
W, 3.18
Introduction to Jack Gilbert: Reading & Interview (bring The Great
Fires and read along)
Due: Share and turn in Poetic Sequence/Hybrid
Week 10: Spring BreakNO CLASS
Week 11: Jack Gilbert, The Great Fires
M, 3.30 Poems: Jack Gilbert, The Great Fires (through p. 19, Married)
Craft:
Jack Gilbert, Paris Review Interview
W, 4.1 Poems: Jack Gilbert, The Great Fires (p. 20, Explicating the
Twighlight, through p. 38, Tasters
for the Lord)
Workshop: Group 1
Week 12: Jack Gilbert, The Great Fires
M, 4.6

Poems: The Great Fires (p. 27, Scheming in the Snow, through p.
55, Infidelity )
Craft: Jack Gilbert, Real Nouns
Workshop: Group 2
Due: Writers Choice

W, 4.8 NO CLASSPROFESSOR ATTENDING A CONFERENCE

Week 13: Jack Gilbert, The Great Fires & Carolyn Forche
M, 4.13 Poems: The Great Fires (p. 56, Highlights and Interstices, through
the end)
Gilbert, Drafts
Workshop: Group 3
Due: Gilbert-inspired poem
W, 4.15 Poems: Carolyn Forche, Poetry Selection
Dan Albergotti, Remembering Jack Gilbert
Discussion: The Great FiresRetrospective Overview, Imitation
Guidelines
Homework: Send your poems to workshop group by selected time
(no later than midnight on Saturday).
Th, 4.16

Reading by Visiting Poet Carolyn Forche, 7:30 Reves Recital Hall

Week 14: Form and Function

M, 4.20 Revision Day (if possible, please bring a laptop)
Due: Small Group Workshop Poems

Jessica Jacobs, Hendrix College, ENGC 403: Advanced Poetry Workshop, Spring 2015

Share and turn in Gilbert Imitation Poem

T, 4.21 Shoptalk with Jessica Jacobs & Nickole Brown, 4:30 pm, Murphy
House
W, 4.22 Small Group Workshops
(More) Revision Day (if possible, please bring a laptop)
Due: Comments on your peers poems.
Th-Su, 4.23-426 Arkansas Literary Festival, www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org
Week 15: Mutual Appreciation Society
M, 4.27 Reading Practice
Due: A poem written by someone else, which you should be
prepared to read aloud.
(Even More) Revision Day (if possible, please bring a laptop)
Homework: Prepare a reading of your work that lasts NO MORE
THAN FIVE MINUTES.
W, 4.29

Class Poetry Reading

Due: Portfolio of three revised poems and a letter of reflection

Week 16: Finis

M, 5.4

NO CLASSPROFESSOR ATTENDING A CONFERENCE (Happy Finals!)