From Vision to Revision: Poetry Focus

"A patient lies on a steel table, while everyone—practiced surgeons and amateurs—sharpens their instruments. Let’s suppose your poem is on the table. How do you keep from killing it?"

- Kim Addonizio

Fledgling writers often presume that poems arrive fully developed in white flashes of inspiration, but revision and its processes are the cornerstones of poetry. You’re encouraged to bring writing that you’re stuck on to our class session. During the course, we’ll examine strategies for revision. We’ll look at first and final drafts by several poets and consider their choices. Through workshop, we’ll steer a piece of your writing through multiple stages of revision. By the conclusion of our session together, you’ll have new drafts of writing to show for your efforts. Most importantly, you’ll have learned valuable approaches to revision that will inform your writing choices beyond the classroom. Our reading for the class includes: Li-Young Lee, Elizabeth Bishop, Sylvia Plath, Kevin Young, Patricia Smith, Henri Cole, and Eduardo Corral.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.