ENG 607: MFA Poetry Workshop

  Scrap Iron by Mark Jay Brewin - review and discussion Make up workshop with Bets Packard Mini lesson on enjambment Mini lesson on word economy  

  Scrap Iron by Mark Jay Brewin Read one of Brewin's poems aloud, twice Personal reactions to the book What are some of the themes in the book about?  What are some of the allegories and metaphors in the book that are really working? How are our observations in conversation with Natasha Trethewey's theories about  poetic sensibilities ? Narrative Sensibility Sonic Sensibility Philosophical/Intellectual Sensibility   Emotional  Sensibility  Architectural Sensibility Visual Sensibility 

  We are discussing line structure and creating affect in the line for the reader.  Enjambment gives the affect of forced intimacy or running with the line (getting carried away in thought).  These are good affects for conveying a sentiment or theme in the poem, particularly when using enjambment in a few different lines in a poem.  Let's compare and contrast some of the characteristics of enjambment with regular "end-stopped" lines.  What are the benefits of using enjambment? What are the benefits of using "end-stop" lines? Considerations about punctuation when using enjambment. To create a dramatic and engaging contrast in your lines, you may want to use caesura and enjambment in tandem.  You may also consider how intervals and breaks work in a line. How intervals and breaks work to create pauses that punctuation may not signal?  Lucille Clifton states that the space in the line is the space for the reader to rest and insert their thoughts into the work.  Fred

  Take you prose piece.  Analyze the word count. Reduce the word count by 25%.  Therefore, if the the word count is 500 words, reduce it to 350 words.  Repeat. Reduce the word count by 25%.  Therefore, if the the word count is 350 words, reduce it to 275 words.  Repeat. Reduce the word count by 25%.  Therefore, if the the word count is 275 words, reduce it to 210 words.  Analyze what is changing about the work.  What themes were dominant? What themes are dominant now. Reduce the word count by 25%.  Therefore, if the the word count is 210 words, reduce it to 150 words.  Reduce the word count to 100 words.  Reduce the word count to 50 words. Reduce the word count to 25 words.  Reduce the word count to 12 words.  This is your power line. 

 

  Field Study by Chet'la Sebree discussion (5:30) Reading and Discussion with Chet'la Sebree (6:00)