Introductory description

A flagship module for Masters students on the writing of contemporary poetry.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Workshops on several forms including the sonnet, villanelle, sestina, terza rima, shape poetry, asemic poetry, conceptual poetry; and an introduction to the work of some world poets and how their work may be used as models for practice.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• By the end of the module the student should be able to work in several forms including the sonnet, villanelle, sestina, terza rima, shape poetry, asemic poetry, conceptual poetry; received an introduction to the work of some poets and how their work may be used as models for practice; acquired some knowledge of the power and practice of imagination in poetic creation; begun to acquire a practical understanding of their own poetics; and developed a realistic, up-to-date, and pragmatic knowledge of the marketplace for poetry. These outcomes reflect those in the QAA benchmarks for creative writing (2016).

Indicative reading list

Abrioux, Yves, Ian Hamilton Finlay: A Visual Primer (Reaktion Books, 1985)
Brown, Andy, Binary Myths: Contemporary Poets in Conversation (Stride Books, 1999)
Burnshaw, Stanley (ed.), The Poem Itself 150 European Poems Translated and Analysed (Pelican Books, 1960)
Curtis, Tony (ed.), How Poets Work (Seren Books, 1996)
Fraser, G.S., Metre, Rhyme and Free Verse (Methuen, 1970)
Herbert, W.N. and Hollis, M. (eds.), Strong Word: Modern Poets on Modern Poetry (Bloodaxe Books, 2000)
Hulse, Michael, Kennedy, David and Morley, David (eds.), The New Poetry (Bloodaxe Books, 1994)
Lennard, John, The Poetry Handbook (Oxford University Press, 1996)
Longley, Edna, Poetry and Posterity (Bloodaxe Books, 2000)
Lowell, Robert, Imitations (Faber and Faber, 1998)
Lucie-Smith, Edward (ed.), British Poetry Since 1945 (Penguin Books, 1970)
Matthews, Harry and Brotchie, Alastair, The OULIPO Compendium (Atlas Press, 1998)
O'Brien, Sean, The Deregulated Muse (Bloodaxe Books, 1998)
Paterson, Don, The Eyes (Faber and Faber, 2000)
Preminger, Alex, et al (eds.), The New Princeton Encyclopaedia of Poetry and Poetics (Princeton, 1993)
Schmidt, Michael (ed.) The Harvill Book of Twentieth Century Poetry (Harvill Press, 1999)
In addition, students will be expected to read work by authors visiting the Programme, for example in the Writers at Warwick series.

Subject specific skills

Study and create poems;
Understand and adopt techniques that suit, as well as challenge, their developing voice as poets;
Understand different types of poetic form;
comprehend and deploy conceptual art and guerrilla poetry, song, translation and nature poetry.

Transferable skills

Practice-based learning skills in a creative context;
Skills in learning within an ensemble;
Immersive practical and learning skills;
Knowledge of literary marketplace;
Entrepreneurial skills within publishing;
Written and performance skills.