Fingerprints: How to Use Form, Structure, and Syntax in Poetry

Class Description

"In poetry everything is permitted.
With only this condition of course,
You have to improve on the blank page."

- Nicanor Parra

It’s the poet’s obligation to (at least partially) fill the blank page. But like Parra says, we must also improve upon it. This can be an imposing task. Structure and syntax are like fingerprints, they’re unique to each writer. We can read an unattributed line by Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson and immediately recognize the identity of the author. In this course, we’ll consider how structure and syntax help your writing stand out as idiomatic. We’ll do so by reading poems in fixed, free, and experimental forms. We’ll work together to shape your writing, and help you think about how to use form in your work. Our reading for the class includes: Tommy Pico, Emily Dickinson, Diane Seuss, Eileen Myles, Walt Whitman, Heather McHugh, and Robert Pinsky.

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.