Part of Nature, Part of Us: A Poetry Workshop Instructor: Andrew Feld, English/Creative Writing When the poet William Matthew wrote that the theme of most contemporary nature poetry is "I went out into the woods today and it made me feel, you know, religious," he provided succinct summation of the problems of the genre. In this class we will find ways to revitalize the nature poem, by studying its evolution from its classical origins in Greek and Latin pastoral poetry, through the English "Landscape Poets" of the 18th Century, the Romantics, the Modernists, and up to the contemporary poetic practices of A.R. Ammons, Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Susan Stewart and Charles Wright. We will examine the many ways in which our knowledge of, and feelings about, nature have changed and are changing still, and see how we can find appropriate poetic language and forms to reflect these changes. There will be a rigorous reading component to the class, along with field trips (to actual fields!) and a wide variety of poetic exercises, including imitations, translations, and exercises in important stylistic modes and genres. Through the important and singular work of poetic inquiry, we will examine how, in Wallace Stevens' formulation, "the sustenance of the wilderness" can and does "sustain us in the metropoles." Meets: MTWTh 9:30-12:00
|
