Cosmology

After reading the poem Cosmology I would have to a agree with a general statement that Ms. Bell made in class about modern poetry. The poem seems to be well written which makes me like it, but like so many modern poems I'm not sure I grasped the whole meaning. I feel like the music and word choice were good, the form was interesting, but the story seems to lack clarity. However this could work for or against the poem. I like the phrase drowsy rain, a use of personification. I also like the simile used in "like marionettes.." This provides a good imagery. The form is interesting, in that the author chooses to capitalize the first word of the line only occassionally, this keeps it from being predictable. Another element that is particularlly nice is the repitition of words like beneath, and under throughout the poem it makes the reader feel like we keep getting deeper and deeper into the poets psyche. The words clay, shale , slate sound nice together with the repitition of the long a sound. Also the repeating reference to clouds, ghosts, and hovering is nice for unity.
-Nathan

Poem

I meant to post this Tuesday but I didn't get a chance.

Assignment: Read Cosmology and comment about the elements of craft within the poem. And I do not want any comments about MEANING.

Decipher

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16430

Here is a poem by Dylan Thomas that I thought was very interesting. I'm putting my comment in a cynical way. I have never been really big into poetry because a lot of the time I'm not really sure what they're talking about. I start to lose myself in the words and before I notice I'm so far into confusion.

My question is this, What is the best way to go around deciphering the more obscure poems?

Hopefully some other students in the class were secretly thinking this theirself and it could help not only me.

Schedule

1: TH / 23 AUG - Poetry: Craft

2: TU / 28 AUG – Poet's Companion / Craft

TH / 30 AUG – Poet's Companion / Craft / In-Class Exercises

3: TU / 04 SEP – Workshop Etiquette

TH / 06 SEP – WORKSHOP 1

4: TU / 11 SEP – Legitimate Dangers

TH / 13 SEP – WORKSHOP 2

5: TU / 18 SEP – Jack Gilbert et al.

TH / 20 SEP – WORKSHOP 3

6: TU / 25 SEP – Forms

TH / 27 SEP – WORKSHOP 4

7: TU / 2 OCT – Fiction: Character / 10,000 Story Ideas

TH / 4 OCT – Structure / OSC's Characters and Viewpoint

8: TU / 9 OCT - OSC's Characters and Viewpoint

TH / 11 OCT – Beginnings / Nancy Kress

9: TU / 16 OCT – Middles & Ends / Nancy Kress

TH / 18 OCT – Dialogue

10: TU / 23 OCT – Stories TBA

TH / 25 OCT – In-class Exercises

11: TU / 30 OCT – Stories TBA

TH / 1 NOV – WORKSHOP 5

12: TU / 6 NOV – Stories TBA

TH / 8 NOV – WORKSHOP 6

13: TU / 13 NOV – Stories TBA

TH / 15 NOV – WORKSHOP 7

14: TU / 20 NOV – Stories TBA

TH / 22 NOV – NO CLASS / THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

15: TU / 27 NOV – TBA

TH / 29 NOV - WORKSHOP 8

16: TU / 4 DEC – PORTFOLIO & PUBLISHING

TH / 6 DEC – PORTFOLIO & PUBLISHING

New Class

As I invite the current 119 students, I will be removing those students who were authors during the summer. For those former students, if you would like to continue to post please e-mail me so I can re-add you as an author.