Syllabus: Writing Poetry & Flash Fiction: Word Sound Image
45762 Cascade TH201 Wednesdays from 6:00 -7:50 From sept. 30th through Nov. 25th (no class on 11/11)
Explore imagery from dreams, meditations, old photos, nature and found texts as starting points for writing your own short poems or tiny fictions. We discuss readings, consider craft and look at each other’s work. All levels welcome.
Poetry craft elements we’ll explore include sound, imagery, forms, figurative language, lineation and theme; for flash fiction we’ll explore the showing of character and use of setting, point of view, and plot. As a bridge from poems to flash, prose poems will be considered. Throughout the class we discuss short readings that evidence skillful use of craft elements. We write in class, work at revision and workshop a culminating project.
9/30
- Introduction
(inspiration) Starting is Easy
Sharing & revision: Workshop process
Writing from Imagery
Very short forms like haiku—read some
10/7
- Concrete vs abstract
(nature)
Showing vs. telling/explaining
Themes shown implicitly
Read “The Snake” (DH Lawrence), Mary Oliver
10/14
- Figurative language: Metaphor, etc.
juxtaposition
Lineation
Read Ocean Vuong, Gwendolyn Brooks, Joy Harjo
10/21
- Sound (prosody)
Alliteration, rhythms,
The music of poetry Organizing thought through sound
Form
Enchantment
Read Yeats, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”
From Joy Harjo An American Sunrise
10/28
- the Surreal, Dreams
Play and new possibilities
pushing and probing language,
found text?
Read Diane di Prima “Loba” excerpt, some Will Alexander, Elizabeth T. Grey from After the Operation
11/4
- Prose Poetry
What is a prose poem? What elements of poetry does it emphasize?
And what of prose?
We will consider the form as A bridge between genres—the poem and the flash fiction.
Write one
Read Sandra Cisneros “Salvador Late or Early”, Maurice Guevara
11/11 NO CLASS—Veteran’s Day
11/18
- Flash Fiction
What is flash fiction?
Elements of fiction
Conflict/tension, character, pov
Importance of implication
Write 10 opening lines, then choose one and write a micro-fiction
Octavio Paz, “The Blue Bouquet”, Rikki Ducornet, Julio Ortega
11/25
- Final Workshop
- share a Flash fiction
- Revision, sharing your ‘culminating project’ poem or flash fiction
Class guidelines
- Be an engaged listener and give others space to talk.
- Assume good intentions in others – listen for understanding.
- Be open to making mistakes and embracing the experience of life-long learning.
- Honor everyone’s stories and experiences.
- Be patient with yourself and others.
- Expect that growth and learning is not always comfortable – be willing to sit in that discomfort.
- Honor others’ experience/values/expertise.
- Respect confidentiality.
College Policies
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