Befuddled, Bereft, Broken: Resistance to Poetic Closure [Dilruba Ahmed]

Intermediate | In this class, we’ll think together about how selected poems create an interplay between closure and openness. Specifically, we’ll examine poems that grapple with difficult (and therefore not easily resolved) content. How do poets use syntax, diction, and more to thwart our sense of closure in ways that are emotionally resonant with the content? We’ll also explore possibilities for closure and openness in our own work. Bring 1-2 draft poems for experimentation!