Monday, September 26, 2011
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A word about sestinas.....and some other things
All of you did an excellent job with the sestinas. This is an incredibly difficult form, and some of you executed this form very, very well. This is often how it goes with creative work, though. The poems (stories, paintings, songs, etc.) we have to work hardest on creating, the ones that force us to look at word choice and stay on track, are often the best poems (stories, etc.). I really appreciate all the hard work you guys are putting into this class. And I do hope you see what that hard work is producing.
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Our next two weeks in class cover forms that I think are a lot of fun. Granted, our ideas of fun could vary, but I think you'll like them, too. We're going to do a lot of experimenting with the forms on the next two Tuesdays, but I'm going to give 100% of the Thursdays to workshop. (If needed, we might make the second Tuesday a half workshop.) We've been through the class list 1.5 times, and I'd really like to get through it another 1.5 times in the next three weeks. That would mean everyone would be workshopped 3 times before the final project workshop. Hopefully we can make that happen.
After those two weeks, we're on to a week of William Matthew's book (which is a wonderful mix of completely hilarious and incredibly moving), elegies, aubades, and pastorals.
After that, if you can believe it (and I couldn't so I had to recheck the calendar), is SPRING BREAK! So, enjoy that thought for a moment.......
After Spring Break we'll be doing the group presentations and the final project workshops. I've met with all of the groups, and it sounds like all of you have some wonderful ideas. Very fun AND useful!
You really don't have to worry about any of that stuff now (except what's due next week), but it should be encouraging that we are almost halfway through the semester!
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Also: EVERYONE turned in guardian comments this week, and I'm pretty sure that hasn't happened before. I'm marking down bonus points for everyone!
Have a great weekend!
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Our next two weeks in class cover forms that I think are a lot of fun. Granted, our ideas of fun could vary, but I think you'll like them, too. We're going to do a lot of experimenting with the forms on the next two Tuesdays, but I'm going to give 100% of the Thursdays to workshop. (If needed, we might make the second Tuesday a half workshop.) We've been through the class list 1.5 times, and I'd really like to get through it another 1.5 times in the next three weeks. That would mean everyone would be workshopped 3 times before the final project workshop. Hopefully we can make that happen.
After those two weeks, we're on to a week of William Matthew's book (which is a wonderful mix of completely hilarious and incredibly moving), elegies, aubades, and pastorals.
After that, if you can believe it (and I couldn't so I had to recheck the calendar), is SPRING BREAK! So, enjoy that thought for a moment.......
After Spring Break we'll be doing the group presentations and the final project workshops. I've met with all of the groups, and it sounds like all of you have some wonderful ideas. Very fun AND useful!
You really don't have to worry about any of that stuff now (except what's due next week), but it should be encouraging that we are almost halfway through the semester!
---------------------------
Also: EVERYONE turned in guardian comments this week, and I'm pretty sure that hasn't happened before. I'm marking down bonus points for everyone!
Have a great weekend!
Line of the Week
Marshall's line: I've learned to savor blinks.
Wow. Lovely word choice. Like I said in class "savor" is such an excellent choice. Something weaker like "appreciate" or wordier like "look forward to" would have really taken the punch out of this line. And the line does a nice job conveying the extent of this lack of sleep.
Well done, Marshall.
Wow. Lovely word choice. Like I said in class "savor" is such an excellent choice. Something weaker like "appreciate" or wordier like "look forward to" would have really taken the punch out of this line. And the line does a nice job conveying the extent of this lack of sleep.
Well done, Marshall.
Best Overheard Line
"She's like Beethoven. And I'm like Houdini."
What?! I love this line because then it makes me wonder what it would be like for these two guys to meet and talk.....
What?! I love this line because then it makes me wonder what it would be like for these two guys to meet and talk.....
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Question of the Week
This week’s question: What’s the best overheard line or out-of-context line you’ve heard this week?
Post your answer as a "comment" on this post. I'll pick the best answer before class next Tuesday.
Post your answer as a "comment" on this post. I'll pick the best answer before class next Tuesday.
Week Six Blog Ideas
Week Six Blog Ideas
1. Repeat the villanelle exercise we did in class. Pick a word and write 20 possible “rhymes” for it.
Here are the “rules”:
1. Write a word that is a rhyme or slant rhyme of your starting word
2. Words don’t all have to have the same number of syllables
3. Can be proper names
4. Only 7 full rhymes, put a star by full rhymes; rest must be slant, assonance, consonance, etc.
5. Have to be “pretty sure” it’s a word when writing a “rhyme”
6. “Rhyme” means they sound alike, not that they look alike
7. Use some of your “rhyme” possibilities as you write a villanelle
2. Pick 10 lines from the list passed out in class. Rearrange all the words. Write a poem that uses all of those words, but not in the original order.
3. Choose a poetry anthology, turn a random page, and write down the first line you see. Repeat. (Feel free to change it in any way as you write it down.) When you have 20 or so lines, use them to make a poem. (Maybe a sonnet?)
4. Get together with another classmate and write a Renga. (As long as you both post it and write about it, it can count as an entry for each of you.)
5. Most of the pantoums we studied have lines of similar length. Why do you think that is? Try to work against that trait by writing a pantoum with really long lines. Or try to write a pantoum of 1-2 word lines. What is the effect of the very long or very short lines?
1. Repeat the villanelle exercise we did in class. Pick a word and write 20 possible “rhymes” for it.
Here are the “rules”:
1. Write a word that is a rhyme or slant rhyme of your starting word
2. Words don’t all have to have the same number of syllables
3. Can be proper names
4. Only 7 full rhymes, put a star by full rhymes; rest must be slant, assonance, consonance, etc.
5. Have to be “pretty sure” it’s a word when writing a “rhyme”
6. “Rhyme” means they sound alike, not that they look alike
7. Use some of your “rhyme” possibilities as you write a villanelle
2. Pick 10 lines from the list passed out in class. Rearrange all the words. Write a poem that uses all of those words, but not in the original order.
3. Choose a poetry anthology, turn a random page, and write down the first line you see. Repeat. (Feel free to change it in any way as you write it down.) When you have 20 or so lines, use them to make a poem. (Maybe a sonnet?)
4. Get together with another classmate and write a Renga. (As long as you both post it and write about it, it can count as an entry for each of you.)
5. Most of the pantoums we studied have lines of similar length. Why do you think that is? Try to work against that trait by writing a pantoum with really long lines. Or try to write a pantoum of 1-2 word lines. What is the effect of the very long or very short lines?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Student Reading Series: Call for Submissions
Student Reading Series!
Below is an announcement from the Creative Writing Guild. I'd highly recommend submitting to this series. It will be fun, it's good experience, and apparently, you'll get paid!
Starting now until February 8th, the Creative Writing Guild of UWG will be accepting submissions for possible readers in our first Student Reader Series! The works will be judged by a panel of creative writing professors, who will then meet with the CWG officers to organize reading days and times! Please send us your best work!
Submission Guidelines:
Send submissions to CWGatUWG@gmail.com
Please send no more than 8-10 pages of prose or 3-4 poems.
Deadline: February 8th
Oh, and did I mention that thanks to some information discovered by the very awesome and talented Dr. Emily Hipchen, we will be able to offer our readers a small stipend for reading! So get out those typewriters, pens, notebooks, laptops, and all other manner of writing utensils, and send us your stuff!
Below is an announcement from the Creative Writing Guild. I'd highly recommend submitting to this series. It will be fun, it's good experience, and apparently, you'll get paid!
Starting now until February 8th, the Creative Writing Guild of UWG will be accepting submissions for possible readers in our first Student Reader Series! The works will be judged by a panel of creative writing professors, who will then meet with the CWG officers to organize reading days and times! Please send us your best work!
Submission Guidelines:
Send submissions to CWGatUWG@gmail.com
Please send no more than 8-10 pages of prose or 3-4 poems.
Deadline: February 8th
Oh, and did I mention that thanks to some information discovered by the very awesome and talented Dr. Emily Hipchen, we will be able to offer our readers a small stipend for reading! So get out those typewriters, pens, notebooks, laptops, and all other manner of writing utensils, and send us your stuff!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Blog of the Week! Line of the Week!
I’m going to start recognizing blogs of the week and lines of the week (at least semi-regularly). While all of you are doing some amazing work, these two things stuck out to me this week. Congrats to our first stars of the week!
Jenna: Blog of the Week. The commentary on the WikiHow about writing haikus is hilarious. The reflection on the feeling all writers get at some point (“I wish I had written that poem”) is spot on. And the explanation of her own poem (and of her intentions for the poem) is a valuable exercise that I would recommend to everyone. Recognizing what you meant, what readers saw, and figuring out how to synthesize the two is an important part of this class.
LaRue: Line of the Week. In “What the Cosmos Left,” LaRue’s speaker discusses the stars she found in various places the way Howe’s speaker found scissors. This line captures a beautifully original moment (how many of us have found stars in our mouths?), using a wonderfully ordinary item (warm bread):
. . . and one night, in my mouth,
I tasted something like a warm bite of bread and pulled it out
to watch over me . . . .
Stay tuned for more highlights from the great body of work you’re all producing......
Jenna: Blog of the Week. The commentary on the WikiHow about writing haikus is hilarious. The reflection on the feeling all writers get at some point (“I wish I had written that poem”) is spot on. And the explanation of her own poem (and of her intentions for the poem) is a valuable exercise that I would recommend to everyone. Recognizing what you meant, what readers saw, and figuring out how to synthesize the two is an important part of this class.
LaRue: Line of the Week. In “What the Cosmos Left,” LaRue’s speaker discusses the stars she found in various places the way Howe’s speaker found scissors. This line captures a beautifully original moment (how many of us have found stars in our mouths?), using a wonderfully ordinary item (warm bread):
. . . and one night, in my mouth,
I tasted something like a warm bite of bread and pulled it out
to watch over me . . . .
Stay tuned for more highlights from the great body of work you’re all producing......
Class Sonnet
Parks’s Class Sonnet Exercise
The following poems are not revised and probably contain errors. At the very least, they contain some poor word choice and extra words. BUT, I thought I’d share what I did with the class exercise, since you guys always do such a nice job sharing your projects. Also, I think this sequence illustrates how different forms can change a poem.
1. The first poem in this post is exactly what my class sonnet said.
2. The next one is the sonnet I wrote using some of the material from the class sonnet.
3. The next one is a version that I like better. I think the line breaks and syllable count helped the poem. (All of the lines have 5 syllables — or should — except for the last line of each stanza, which has 4.)
4. The final one is the poem reduced to a haiku.
The Weather Down Here
Out in the park, back by the pond, ducks sit.
Children play in front of the calm water
splashing their mother with the cold debris.
In the humid weather of September
Something about Georgia weather is bipolar
Dry spells last forever then it suddenly snows
And and how should I remember our last time?
Should I remember the fighting, the arguing, the moment you left
I will never forget the things we said
Or the way we danced under the Christmas lights
As the mistletoe hung above our heads
and I kissed you, my lips bright red
Liking the way this evening was going
I think I’ll stay the night just this one time.
--------------------------------------
The Weather Down Here
In the park pond
children caterwaul at the edge of the calm water,
splashing their mother with the cold, with debris
in the humid air of October.
Something else about Georgia weather:
Dry spells last forever then suddenly, snow.
Like the fall when we couldn’t burn because
everything was too easy to burn.
Then snow.
A new crackling, a whiter debt.
Snow without reason, without warning.
The maps of weather can’t show
the tunneling that snow requires, the high price
of even a little heat.
---------------------------------------------
The Weather Down Here
The park pond: children
caterwaul at the
edge of calm water,
splashing their mother
with cold, with debris
in the humid air
of October.
Something else about
Georgia weather: Dry
spells last forever
then suddenly, snow.
Like the fall when we
couldn’t burn because
everything was too
easy to burn.
Then snow: new crackling,
a whiter debt.
Snow without reason,
without warning. Maps
of weather can’t show
the tunneling that
snow requires, the
high price of even
a little heat.
----------------------------------------------
The Weather Down Here
Snow without reason,
without warning. Weather maps
can’t show tunneling.
The following poems are not revised and probably contain errors. At the very least, they contain some poor word choice and extra words. BUT, I thought I’d share what I did with the class exercise, since you guys always do such a nice job sharing your projects. Also, I think this sequence illustrates how different forms can change a poem.
1. The first poem in this post is exactly what my class sonnet said.
2. The next one is the sonnet I wrote using some of the material from the class sonnet.
3. The next one is a version that I like better. I think the line breaks and syllable count helped the poem. (All of the lines have 5 syllables — or should — except for the last line of each stanza, which has 4.)
4. The final one is the poem reduced to a haiku.
The Weather Down Here
Out in the park, back by the pond, ducks sit.
Children play in front of the calm water
splashing their mother with the cold debris.
In the humid weather of September
Something about Georgia weather is bipolar
Dry spells last forever then it suddenly snows
And and how should I remember our last time?
Should I remember the fighting, the arguing, the moment you left
I will never forget the things we said
Or the way we danced under the Christmas lights
As the mistletoe hung above our heads
and I kissed you, my lips bright red
Liking the way this evening was going
I think I’ll stay the night just this one time.
--------------------------------------
The Weather Down Here
In the park pond
children caterwaul at the edge of the calm water,
splashing their mother with the cold, with debris
in the humid air of October.
Something else about Georgia weather:
Dry spells last forever then suddenly, snow.
Like the fall when we couldn’t burn because
everything was too easy to burn.
Then snow.
A new crackling, a whiter debt.
Snow without reason, without warning.
The maps of weather can’t show
the tunneling that snow requires, the high price
of even a little heat.
---------------------------------------------
The Weather Down Here
The park pond: children
caterwaul at the
edge of calm water,
splashing their mother
with cold, with debris
in the humid air
of October.
Something else about
Georgia weather: Dry
spells last forever
then suddenly, snow.
Like the fall when we
couldn’t burn because
everything was too
easy to burn.
Then snow: new crackling,
a whiter debt.
Snow without reason,
without warning. Maps
of weather can’t show
the tunneling that
snow requires, the
high price of even
a little heat.
----------------------------------------------
The Weather Down Here
Snow without reason,
without warning. Weather maps
can’t show tunneling.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Creative Writing Events!
Event: Creative Writing Minor Interest Meeting
Start Time: Monday, February 1 at 7:30pm
End Time: Monday, February 1 at 9:30pm
Where: Pafford 309
Event: First Poetry Reading of Spring
What: Performance
Start Time: Wednesday, February 3 at 7:00pm
End Time: Wednesday, February 3 at 9:00pm
Where: Kathy Cashen Hall, University of West Georgia
Start Time: Monday, February 1 at 7:30pm
End Time: Monday, February 1 at 9:30pm
Where: Pafford 309
Event: First Poetry Reading of Spring
What: Performance
Start Time: Wednesday, February 3 at 7:00pm
End Time: Wednesday, February 3 at 9:00pm
Where: Kathy Cashen Hall, University of West Georgia
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Blog Ideas for Week Three
Blog Ideas for Week Three
Critical/Reflective Entry Ideas
1. Which poem in this week’s packet is your favorite or least favorite? Why? What elements of stanzas or meter influence your opinion?
2. Significantly change the stanzas in a poem in the packet (split quatrains into couplets, combine couplets into quatrains, etc). What changes about the nature of the poem when you make these stanza changes? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these changes? (Be sure to post the original poem and your changes with this entry.)
3. Take a poem you’ve written and cast it in at least three different types of stanzas. Which one do you like best? Why? Which one is the least effective? Why? (Post your favorite version.)
4. Choose a particular meter and use it to write an 8-10 line poem entitled “Wrecked Bird.” Then, pick a new meter and write an 8-10 line poem using the same title. Did either meter work better? Why do you think that is? Can you combine aspects of the two poems (and lose the meter, if you want) into a good single poem? (Feel free to change the title at this point.)
5. Research one of the types of stanzas a bit more and post some facts about it. What did you find surprising in your research? Feel free to also post a list of your resources, in case a classmate wants to learn more.
Free Entry Ideas
1. Write a poem that explores your answer to one of the following questions. (You don’t have to mention the actual question in the poem.)
a. What if everyone’s goal in life was to be as lazy as possible?
b. What if you had to move to a new state each year?
c. What if you were lying in bed one night and your bed started talking to you?
2. Take one of your poems that you think just “doesn’t sound right.” Scan it, marking each stress and counting feet. Standardize the lines by giving all of them the same number of stresses and feet. That is, write an accentual-syllabic (see packet for a review of this, if you need to). Does this rhythm help the poem? Post the original and the revision.
3. Make a list of words and phrases in each type of foot (iamb, trochee, dactyl, anapest, spondee; see examples in the packet). It will probably take you a minute to get each list started, but once you start hearing the beats, it will be easier.
Critical/Reflective Entry Ideas
1. Which poem in this week’s packet is your favorite or least favorite? Why? What elements of stanzas or meter influence your opinion?
2. Significantly change the stanzas in a poem in the packet (split quatrains into couplets, combine couplets into quatrains, etc). What changes about the nature of the poem when you make these stanza changes? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these changes? (Be sure to post the original poem and your changes with this entry.)
3. Take a poem you’ve written and cast it in at least three different types of stanzas. Which one do you like best? Why? Which one is the least effective? Why? (Post your favorite version.)
4. Choose a particular meter and use it to write an 8-10 line poem entitled “Wrecked Bird.” Then, pick a new meter and write an 8-10 line poem using the same title. Did either meter work better? Why do you think that is? Can you combine aspects of the two poems (and lose the meter, if you want) into a good single poem? (Feel free to change the title at this point.)
5. Research one of the types of stanzas a bit more and post some facts about it. What did you find surprising in your research? Feel free to also post a list of your resources, in case a classmate wants to learn more.
Free Entry Ideas
1. Write a poem that explores your answer to one of the following questions. (You don’t have to mention the actual question in the poem.)
a. What if everyone’s goal in life was to be as lazy as possible?
b. What if you had to move to a new state each year?
c. What if you were lying in bed one night and your bed started talking to you?
2. Take one of your poems that you think just “doesn’t sound right.” Scan it, marking each stress and counting feet. Standardize the lines by giving all of them the same number of stresses and feet. That is, write an accentual-syllabic (see packet for a review of this, if you need to). Does this rhythm help the poem? Post the original and the revision.
3. Make a list of words and phrases in each type of foot (iamb, trochee, dactyl, anapest, spondee; see examples in the packet). It will probably take you a minute to get each list started, but once you start hearing the beats, it will be easier.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Blog Ideas for Week Two
Blog Ideas for Week Two
These are just suggestions and ideas to get you started. Feel free to use them, but don't feel obligated.
Critical/Reflective Entry Ideas
1. What is poetry? We’ve seen how Coleridge, Auden, Moore, and others have tried to define it. How do you define it? You can write a full length critical entry about this, but by the end, try to sum it up in a sentence or a phrase.
2. What is your favorite poem? Why? What can you learn from that poem to improve or expand your own poetry?
3. Try any of the “Try This” suggestions in the “Poetry Packet.” Post the resulting poem (or list or whatever) from the exercise and a reflection on the process.
4. Read some of Bly’s poems. How often do you see his theory on assertions at work in his own poetry? Do you agree or disagree with his theory? Why?
5. Take a picture of something beautiful. Try to describe as clearly as possible what makes it beautiful.
Free Entry Ideas:
1. Make a list of words you like.
2. Make a list of subjects or words that you don’t think belong in poetry.
3. Make up a few jokes with terrible literary puns.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Blog Addresses
Hi, all. It was great to meet you today! I'm really looking forward to this semester, and I can't wait to see what kind of wonderful work you guys produce.
When you have your blog up, please post a comment to this entry giving me your name and blog address. Once I have everyone's, I'll compile and post the list so each of you can easily add your classmates.
Again, please don't hesitate to ask questions as you're getting things set up!
When you have your blog up, please post a comment to this entry giving me your name and blog address. Once I have everyone's, I'll compile and post the list so each of you can easily add your classmates.
Again, please don't hesitate to ask questions as you're getting things set up!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Welcome
Welcome to ENGL 3200! The purpose of my blog is to help you with your blog (and provide a central place for class announcements). Throughout the semester, please feel free to let me know if you have an idea to make this blog more helpful, interesting, useful, etc.
Don't forget to send me your blog address (via email, please: bparks@westga.edu) as soon as you set up your blog.
Don't forget to send me your blog address (via email, please: bparks@westga.edu) as soon as you set up your blog.
