Poetics as Cosmology 2021
(Intro to Spontaneous Composition)
A five week Zoom workshop for people who’ve had some experience in spontaneous poetry composition and want to develop that skill. Join Poetry Postcard Fest Co-Founder Paul E Nelson in a lively course designed to start where the poetry postcard fest left off to help you tap into deeper levels of knowing that can begin inform your non-writing life. Some theory to understand the poetics of 20th/21st c approaches to spontaneous composition, some out of class writing exercises, check-ins & discussion. The work of Charles Olson, Denise Levertov, Michael McClure, Wanda Coleman, Nate Mackey, Robin Blaser and others may be discussed along with concepts such as seriality, investigative poetics & how to write more by reducing your reliance on editing.
Courses are offered via Zoom Saturdays in October at 9:30am PDT.
Saturday Registration is via Funraise or Paypal:
Funraise:
Thursdays at 4pm PDT
Questions: splabman@icloud.com
Testimonials: https://paulenelson.com/testimonials/
Poetics as Cosmology
(Intro to Spontaneous Composition)
A five week online (Zoom) workshop for people who have had a little experience in spontaneous poetry composition and want more. Join CPL and Poetry Postcard Fest Founder Paul E Nelson in a lively course designed to start where the poetry postcard fest left off and help you understand how to tap into deeper levels of knowing that can begin inform your non-writing life. Some theory to understand the poetics of 20th/21st c approaches to spontaneous composition, some writing exercises, discussion and between class homework. The work of Charles Olson, Denise Levertov, Michael McClure, Wanda Coleman, Nate Mackey, Robert Duncan, Robin Blaser and others may be discussed along with concepts such as seriality, investigative poetics & how to write more by reducing your reliance on editing.
Saturday, Oct 2, Thursday, October 7, 2021: Week One Materials
Read:
https://paulenelson.com/organic-poetry/
https://paulenelson.com/organic-poetry/projective-verse/ (Or read and listen to this.)
https://paulenelson.com/organic-poetry/some-notes-on-organic-form-denise-levertov-1965/
Listen:
Read:Mary Norbert Körte’s Eulogy for Michael McClure & The Work (So There Plato)
Read: https://www.duchampssocks.com/post/the-privileged-left
Writing Exercise: Phrase Acrostic
Extra Credit: Duende Essay
Saturday Oct 9, Thursday October 14, 2021: Week Two Materials
READ:
https://paulenelson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Philip-Whalens-Hat.pdf
LISTEN:
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
https://paulenelson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Japanese-Death-Poem-Exercise.pdf
https://paulenelson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Mesostic-Exercise.pdf
EXTRA CREDIT ARTICLE:
Saturday Oct 16, Thursday October 21, 2021: Week Three Materials
This material is designed to provide the participant with a transformational approach to poetry practice. This can be uncomfortable, difficult and also liberating. If you find yourself being resistant to the ideas expressed, I encourage you to take a friendly attitude to your thoughts as expressed in the Mind Writing Slogans offered below and as expressed in the segment from the Ginsberg interview. Try a tolerant attitude toward the ideas put forth here. To experience open form, it helps to be open. Being open may be the key to a happy and productive life. I believe this course is a good start in that direction, but one must have an open stance in engaging with this material.
READ:
There was no discussion of the Joanne Kyger poem on Philip Whalen and I’d like to make sure we discuss that poem. See: https://paulenelson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Philip-Whalens-Hat.pdf
Also, please read these Levertov poems and come prepared to discuss.
Read and come prepared to discuss Allen Ginsberg’s Mind Writing Slogans.
For those interested in the use of the word “field” in this stance toward poem making, see THIS:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69393/the-poem-as-a-field-of-action
And related to that is:
WATCH:
Skyler has suggested this film on Charles Olson, Polis is This. It is in several parts.
LISTEN:
Current music featuring Esperanza Spalding and others. (Shuffle mode is best.)
As to the link between poetry and meditation, see this segment from the 1994 Ginsberg interview.
WRITE:
Cover Poem Consider writing several of them.
FINALLY:
Saturday Oct 23, Thursday October 28, 2021: Week Four Materials
READ:
Hoa Nguyen Poem Packet prepared by Kim Jacobs-Beck
LISTEN:
READ:
1. https://songwrightsapothecarylab.com/
2. https://songwrightsapothecarylab.com/About
3. https://www.vogue.com/article/esperanza-spalding-songwrights-apothecary-lab-healing-music-therapy
4. THIS:
Esperanza Spalding Announces New Album, ‘Songwrights Apothecary’
& 6. https://hyperallergic.com/680725/jim-jarmuschs-forays-into-collage/
WRITING EXERCISE: Poets Apothecary Lab
Saturday Oct 30, Thursday November 4, 2021: Week Five Materials
READ:
Dueling Supermarkets CJ has dug up this video of AG
READ (or LISTEN):
17-Oct-2021 NYTimes on Laurie Anderson
LISTEN:
READ:
Denise Levertov: On the Function of the Line
WRITE:
Laurie Anderson/NY School “I Did This, I Did That” Sonnets
EXTRA CREDIT!
EXTRA EXTRA Credit:
Watch: Heart of a Dog
For the workshop in January, you could read this on the Saturation Job, this on Creativity & the Fully-Developed Bard and this on Investigative Poetry.
Some material for the break:
https://www.studentwritingcenter.us/american-poetry-4/charles-olson.html
Playlists for the break: