Poetry Workshop: Writing Poems about Visual Art (aka Ekphr) IA-0255

For centuries, poets have been inspired by the works of visual artists. In this workshop, we'll study the art-inspired poems of a range of poets (from Romantic poet John Keats to contemporary poet Jorie Graham). As we explore the balance between the poem as an independent work and the poem as an art-inspired text, we'll grapple with a number of questions, including: "Does one's appreciation of such poetry require familiarity with the art that inspired it?" Early in the semester, workshop members will identify an artist whose work they find inspiring. For the remainder of the semester-- through focused assignments, in-class writing exercises, research, careful consideration of sources related to the selected artist, and peer workshops--each member will work to develop a portfolio of 10-12 inter-related, art-inspired poems. Prerequisite: This class is designed for students who have had at least one college-level poetry workshop or an equivalent course in Visual Arts.