Introduction to Poetry

ELIT11: Introduction to Poetry
Summer, 2008
Ken Weisner
M & W 5:30-9:10 , Classroom: L-42
#0370 ELIT 11-61C
Office Hours: 4:30-5:30, M & W and by appt. in Forum 2C
Office Phone: (408) 864-5797
E Mail: weisnerken@fhda.edu Weekends: gyre@cruzio.com
Website: http://faculty.deanza.fhda.edu/weisnerken/
Or: http://members.cruzio.com/~gyre/ken

GOALS: In this introductory survey we will read poetry from mostly (but not only) British and American traditions. We will approach poetry analytically and in connection to one another's views and feelings. Students will be asked to explore more deeply poets and poems they find most exciting, and be especially attentive to the study of:

interpretive strategies and critical terminologies
poems and poets of the canon
contemporary poets
multiple interpretations
writing about poetry
forms, periods, types, and functions of poetry

TEXTS:
1. Gioia, D, and Kennedy, X.J., An Introduction to Poetry, 12th Edition.
2. Moyers, Bill, The Language of Life.
3. Course Handouts

REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance, participation, reading, notebook writing, presentation, midterm, final. Here are the details:

Keep up with the reading, which is normally about a chapter per class period. I will always let you know which poems and page numbers to concentrate on.

Notebook: For each class period (June 30th- August 6) write about two (handwritten OK) pages on a poem you've especially enjoyed. I give extra credit at the end of the quarter for excellent notebooks (extra responses, care). See details below regarding what constitutes a notebook entry.

The midterm and final will only cover topics and techniques we have discussed and practiced at length in class. You will have plenty of time on these tests. Note: if you attend class and do the course reading, it will be difficult not to do well on these tests and in this course.

The presentation gets everyone involved and offers you a choice; either memorize a poem (any poem in either of the books) of at least twelve lines, and present it to me in private conference (by appointment or to the class if you wish for 10 points extra credit) OR help present one of the poets on the sign-up sheet (or one of their poems)to the class. Presentations take place between week three and week six. Please indicate your top three preferences to me by e-mail no later than 6:00 P.M. Sunday, July 6th. The day you actually do your presentation, I'll ask for a typed 1 page interpretation (handout) related to the poem or poet you present (memorize or discuss).

Attendance: there are (only) twelve class sessions. If you attend all 12, I award 30 points extra credit! If you attend 11 sessions, I award 20 points extra credit. Attendance and participation are worth 200 points, but, with the extra credit, 230 points is actually possible. In other words: if you want a good grade, which I would adore giving you, then showing up. Other attendance policies reinforce this same point: 1) You are less likely to pass this course if you miss more than three class periods (remember: two weeks is one third of the course). 2) Attend each of the first 3 classes, or I may assume you've dropped. 3) Sessions not fully attended receive an equivalent percent credit, assigned at the instructor's discretion. 4) Please call and leave a message on the office phone (864-5797) if you need to excuse yourself from a class period. 5) If for any reason you must stop attending this course go through the official college "drop" procedure (or you could end up with an "F).

Grades: 90% = A, 80% = B, 70% = C, 60% = D [possible 1000 points]
Reader's notebook (10 X 25 points each): 250
Presentation: 150
Midterm: 200
Final exam: 200
Class participation and attendance: 200
Total: 1000

Notebooks: are for your ten required reactions to poems but also for class notes, in-class writings, and even for poems you write yourself from time to time. When you respond to poems in your notebook, first briefly paraphrase the poem, and then go through them bit by bit (maybe stanza by stanza). Comment on the effects of specific lines, language, tone, and images that intrigue you. Quote key passages and write about how they suggest meaning to you, and why that meaning (or those decisions about meaning) interest you and matter to you. This is called "close reading." One other sort of obvious hint: write about poems you enjoy! Then explain and explore what you like about the poems. Be as specific as you can. Give detailed examples. Which lines, images, phrases or words stand out, and why? What are the questions, themes, tensions raised and explored by the poem? Can you reflect more generally on why the poem works for you as an individual? How and why you connect with the poem? Does the poem shift/change upon rereading, reconsideration? I will collect notebooks may collect notebooks on July 21st and August 4th.

Office Hours:
Always feel free, for any reason, to come by my office (Forum 2C) before class or to set up an appointment for another time if necessary (864-5797).

Plagiarism policy:
Never plagiarize! Plagiarism will give you an automatic "F" for the assignment. If you use the ideas or words of others, give them credit immediately, in writing. See sample essays in Kennedy/Gioia text for appropriate MLA method citation techniques.

Extra Credit Policy:
You are invited to do an additional 20 point extra credit assignment during the term: hand in a 2-page review of a local poetry event (let's keep each other posted) or contemporary poetry collection, or poetry-related website (clear with Ken first). So extra credit opportunities include: meeting attendance incentives (up to 30 pts); creating outstanding notebook (up to 10 points); reporting on an outside event (up to 20 pts) or poetry collection; and/or memorizing your presentation poem (up to 10 points). In other words, a top score in the course could be 1,070 out of possible 1,000. I will also offer poets in the class the opportunity to substitute one traditional notebook entry with their own poetry, or, upon prior approval, to give your presentation on your own poetry (e-mail me three to five of your own poems in that case).

Tentative Schedule
(always refer to class handouts/website for specific focus)
June 30 Introductions, Kennedy, chapter 1 & 2: types of poetry (plus voice, tone, irony)

July 2 Kennedy, chapters 3-4 ("Words" "Saying and Suggesting")

July 7 Kennedy, chapters 5-6 ("Imagery" "Figures of Speech")
*July 9-13 Foothill Writer's Conference

July 9 Kennedy, chapter 7-8: ("Song" and "Sound")

July 14 Presentations begin today. Kennedy, chapters 9 & 10: "Rhythm" and "Closed Forms." Sonnets.

July 16 Odes, Love poems, Carpe Diem Kennedy, Chapter 16, "Poetry in Spanish, Literature of Latin America"

July 21 Kennedy, chapter 11, "Open Forms" (+ William Carlos Williams)
*Moyers: Jimmy Santiago Baca, Marilyn Chin.
Hand in Journals/ In-class midterm

July 23 *Moyers: Li-Young Lee, Joy Harjo
*Moyers: Lucille Clifton

July 28 *Moyers: Coleman Barks/Jalaluddin Rumi
Kennedy, chapter 19: Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes

July 30 Kennedy, chapter 20: T.S. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
*Moyers: Adrienne Rich (Victor Hernandez Cruz, Michael Harper)
Take-home part of final assigned.

August 4 The poetry of Walt Whitman.
*Moyers: Gary Snyder (Daisy Zamora).
Notebooks due today.

August 6 Final (format to be announced) + remaining presentations and class reading/party.

Notes:
When you read a chapter from Kennedy/Gioia for class, you do not need to read the sections of the chapters entitled "For Review and Further Study."
I'll always provide you with suggestions of specific poems to focus on for the next class period and for your notebooks. But you can also choose your own from chapter.
Asterisks above indicate we may screen companion videos related to Moyers chapter interviews.
Poets whose names are in parentheses are featured in video materials we will be watching, but you are not responsible for reading their chapters in Moyers unless you wish to.
Please always bring both texts and your notebook with you to class.

Presentation Choices:
(give a first and second choice, please)
Remember, a presentation is a brief recitation of a poem (either in class or out of class) OR assisting with the discussion of a poet or poem in-class. If you present in class, choose one of the poets listed below for the given day you prefer. I'll be available to help you find specific poems or presentation focus. Of course if you present outside of class, you are welcome to choose any day below regardless of what poet is listed there or which poem you choose to memorize. Each presentation should be accompanied by a one-page handout. The handout's sources should be clear. The handout can help us understand how you interpret the poem or some relevant background related to the poet or the poem's historical, biographical, or social context: something you are compelled to share with us.
*=Moyers poets

July 14
William Shakespeare
Robert Frost
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Theodore Roethke

July 16
John Keats
Kim Addonizio
Pablo Neruda

July 21
*Jimmy Santiago Baca
*Marilyn Chin
William Carlos Williams
Denise Levertov

July 23
*Li-Young Lee
*Joy Harjo
*Lucille Clifton

July 28
Emily Dickinson
Langston Hughes
*Jelaluddin Rumi

July 30
*Adrienne Rich
*Victor Hernandez Cruz
*Michael Harper
Yusuf Komunyakaa

August 4
Walt Whitman
*Gary Snyder
*Daisy Zamora

**PROPOSE YOUR OWN: ______________________________

Did you give a first and second choice!?
Thanks/ KW