Poetry Workshop: A Deeper Look [Jeanine Walker]

Intermediate | What makes a poem work? How does a strong break heighten the line while contributing to the powerful effect of the whole? A casual voice with plain language results in a layered, sophisticated piece—how? Do curse words have a place in poetry? We’ll look at masterful contemporary poems by Hope Wabuke, Mark Doty, Hayan Charara, among others, examining the elements that make them strong. Those insights will inform our supportive workshop, for which students will submit three poems.