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PAUL E NELSON

Poetics as Cosmology Workshop (Week 2)

How is a stance toward writing poetry a model for living one’s life? How can the act of writing spontaneously deepen one’s intuition/guidance/connection to one’s more noble self? In six weeks we’ll investigate several post WWII stances toward spontaneous composition, read essays, poems, engage in writing exercises, discussion and have related outside-of-class activities suggested to deepen one’s relation to this stance.

Ideally participants would read materials in advance of the regular session and come ready to discuss.

Week Two, October 10-11, 2020

Questions, comments, criticisms, rebuttals.

Recommended essays:

https://dces.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/128/2013/08/Where-You-At-Quiz.pdf (Do you know what bioregion you live in? What watershed? What native land?)

What is Consciousness?

Denise Levertov – On The Function of the Line

https://paulenelson.com/organic-poetry/organic-poetry/

https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Spanish/LorcaDuende.php

Discuss writer’s date, share poems.

Writing exercise: https://paulenelson.com/workshops/berrigan-sonnet-collage-exercise/

Homework to be done AFTER week two and BEFORE week three:

Write down sixteen words that relate to your own personal mythology that are TASTE-oriented. Do not use abstractions and use the most specific term. Instead of FISH, perhaps it’s HAMACHIKAMA. Do make this exercise a meditation.

Take yourself on an ARTIST’S DATE, going solo, to a cultural event (if possible) or watch an art film or live JAZZ CONCERT online (the Villagevanguard.com is streaming) OR go to do a health experience you have never done, or have not done in a while, such as Community Acupuncture, Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, Reiki, or go to a Tarot Card reader, psychic, something of that nature. You can write a poem about the experience if so inclined.

You may choose to watch this film The Line has Shattered: ($5.00 fee). Let me know if this is cost prohibitive.

Take the start you had with the Berrigan Collage Exercise and write 9 more 12-14 line poems, with at least TWO that are collaged. You may want to write poems AFTER this group if you find some energy there.