CRW 3311 Spring 2022 Howton

This course serves as an introduction to the craft of poetry. Emerson wrote that the poet “is a beholder of ideas, and an utterer of the necessary and causal.” In this course, we journey to define “necessary” by consuming the works of the poets before us and examining what we as young artists find necessary to our own being and craft. The class will study the elements and forms of poetry through lectures and writing exercises, it will also give students the opportunity to workshop their poetry. Students will learn literary citizenship by participating in discussions on assigned canonical poetry and by giving feedback to their peers during workshop. Writing is not only about honing your work, it is also about the ways in which we hold and engage with other writers’ works. Finally, the course will advocate for the importance of revision and polishing during the creative process.