LIVE – SYNCHRONOUS

As a free verse poet, do you feel a bit…insecure…when it comes to meter, rhyme schemes, and that ubiquitous form known as the sonnet? This your chance to learn—or relearn—the rules, essence, and possibilities of this versatile and ever-evolving form. We’ll be starting from square one, exploring a bit of the history and practicing writing the almighty iambic pentameter with exercises to build your skills. We’ll be reading a lot of sonnets, on the page and aloud, to keep the rhythms in our heads. We’ll take a look at sonnets written from the margins of the Western European tradition, and consider how Black and women writers, especially, have made of this “scanty plot of ground” (Wordsworth) a site of resistance and liberation. By the end of our five-day intensive, you’ll have a solid appreciation and knowledge of the traditional sonnet. Going forward, you’ll also have a map of the sonnet’s evolution in contemporary practice. You’ll go away with at least the beginnings of a sonnet or two and lots of inspiration for more.

LIVE TIME: 10am-12pm (Pacific Time) – 1pm-3pm (Eastern Time) – daily.