WHY POETRY MATTERS

Catalog description

This course explores how poetry preserves language, culture, history, and people. Students will read a range of contemporary American and international poets and examine how and why poems work. The course examines aspects of craft, including the importance of image, diction, rhythm, sound, and metaphor, and as students learn the rules or mechanics of poetry, they will find themselves able to discuss a deeper subject: how poetry speaks to our experience as humans. Students will explore how poetry reflects our day-to-day lives, emotions, and relationships in the world. In addition, to close reading and interpretation, students will also write poetry, participate in a workshop, and engage in poetry outreach projects.