ASSIGNMENTS

So, read through page 41 in The Bigger World, by Jan. 22. Also,
bring 11 copies of a poem to read, and bring 4 - 6 pages of
poetry (11 copies) we will take home, read, and talk about on
Jan. 29.

Also, hand in the Ashbery imitation and the lit mag analysis on
Jan. 29.

I'll talk about this in class. Due on January 29: A short (300 word)
analysis of a literary magazine in which you talk about everything
from the content to the design. Talk about how the magazine / work
connects with you. Explain why. What, given the fact, in most
cases, you have not seen many literary magazines, surprises you
about it, or doesn't? Do the poems seem to represent one central
aesthetic idea or several (are they experimental, narrative (both),
difficult, accessible?)? I'm bringing the magazines with me to
class. each of you will receive one to take home (don't lose it or
drop it in a snowbank or let your dog chew it).

Second: you will write what I will call an "Ashbery imitation
poem," though it's really a poem loaded with prompts, almost a
collage more than a poem, per se.

Both of these are required, and they are due at the beginning of
class on January 29.

Due next week, at the beginning of class? You will bring in a
single poem that you feel best represents you. It could be it's,
in your thinking, your last (and therefore best) poem. It might
be simply your favorite--one that you would consider your best.
Or maybe it's some odd, new sort of work--something unusual
you are investigating. What we want is for the poem to be
the triggering poem for the next 16 - 26 pages that follow.
Consider it the first poem in the book you will write in this class.
I'll talk about what this might mean in class today. Whatever the
case, you will bring in this poem, and 11 copies, on January 22.
We will (you will) read them aloud in class and discuss how
this might work in a book, what features of the poem feel ultimately
"extend-able" as it were . . . Does it introduce a VOICE? Grab our
attention? How?

It appears the little bird in the post below was correct. No one can
find a copy of Samyn's book, so we'll shuffle the deck, as I also
mentioned below. However, I think we'll shuffle again. Let's
see how this order works:

1. Noelle Kocot's book.
2. Mary Ruefle's book.
3. Mary Ann Samyn's book.
4. Zachary Schomberg's book.
5. Graham Foust's book.
6. Michael Burkard's book.
7. Joe Wenderoth's book.