University

Poetry Instructor at Drew University, 2018-2021

Poetry Workshop

Once enrolled in this workshop, students will thereafter be (and be referred to as) poets. This workshop will focus on providing a community wherein poets share their poems and respond to the poems of their fellow classmates, both in equal measure. In each class, poets will partake in an interactive exercise that is demonstrated or inspired by their weekly reading and geared toward the generation or revision of poetry. These exercises will teach poets craft based concepts for the page or performance, and they will reveal various points of access into everyday poetical and critical thinking. This class will illuminate the ways in which every poet can draw upon their unique experiences, relationship to language, and innate sensibilities to inform successful poetry. Ultimately, poets will come to appreciate the ways in which poetry can and does enrich their lives. With the support and observations of the class as a team-oriented unit, each poet will uncover what is unique and essential to their individual poetic voice and body of work as a whole.

Advanced Poetry Workshop

This workshop will provide a community wherein poets share their poems and respond to the poems of their fellow classmates, both in equal measure. Poets in this class will delve beyond the rudimentary elements of poetry with which they are already familiar and examine, more closely, the historical and contemporary societal functions of poetry. In each class, poets will partake in an interactive exercise that is demonstrated or inspired by their weekly reading and geared toward the generation or revision of poetry. Each of these exercises will look into nuanced and complex poetical concepts, while also continually considering the possible socio-emotional, socio-political, and socio-historical implications of these elements of craft. This class will encourage and help poets to find a lineage of the poetic practice that reflects and celebrates their own lineage. Because poetry is an integral societal force, poets in this class will be asked to actively engage with a broader poetic community. Poets will attend community events and submit their poems for publication. As poets in this class continue to help one another refine their voices as poets, care and consideration will also be given to each poet's aspiration and valuable contribution to the world as an artistic citizen.