Revisiting the Ode [Jane Wong]

This course is completely celebratory! We will revisit the ode form, which comes from the Greek “aeidein” (to sing or chant). In J. A. Cuddon’s words, an ode is “a full-dress poem.” Full of fervor, we will consider the ode as an address to a person, event, object, or something even more ineffable. Along with writing our own odes, we will read traditional and contemporary odes from John Keats, Pablo Neruda, Lucille Clifton, Eduardo C. Corral, Hannah Sanghee Park, and C. D. Wright.