Master Class – A Planet of Lost Things: Poetry is About Memory and Loss [Carol Muske-Dukes]
The poet Mark Strand authored, a while ago, a children’s book called The Planet of Lost Things. The book’s reassuring theme was that all of the things we lose (in childhood and beyond) end up on a faraway planet. Lost things—from a missing sock to a disappeared charm bracelet—show up there. If each of us created our own “planet of lost things,” what would we find there? Of course, all poems are about memory and loss—but the specificity of each disappearance and its effect on writing is what participants will address. Thus we’ll contextualize the idea of loss and how it echoes throughout poetry of the past and present—from Milton to Tu Fu to Robert Hayden to (of course) Elizabeth Bishop. The focus on the “self” will be in learning to self-edit, the goal of every creative writer. Participants will be invited to try writing exercises on this subject.
FAQ
Complete FAQHugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 business days or more before the class start date. To request a refund, log in to your account, go to “My Account,” select the “Orders” tab on the left-hand side, click the appropriate order, and request a refund for your specific class. Administrative fees apply. Please see our full refund policy here.
Class sessions may be recorded if a session falls on a holiday, or if a student has access needs. Class recordings are not guaranteed.
We do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic or any other oppressive behaviors, regardless of who commits them. Please check out our full community guidelines by clicking here. If an instance of community guidelines are violated and not resolved within the classroom, students may let us know by filling out the student incident report.
Classes may be cancelled if less than 5 students are enrolled within 10 days before the class start date. If for any reason Hugo House needs to cancel a class, students can choose between a full credit or full refund.
Make a Donation
Donations made throughout the year help fund our programs and operations.
