Often, after writing a poem, we become a bit intoxicated by it. Our emotional investment in the developing drafts may blind us to the flaws and greater possibilities of what we have begun. This workshop will focus on revision, on the seeing again of poems. The goal is to sharpen our sense of works in progress, so that we might compose pieces that fully engage our audience. Everything is in play as a poem takes shape: subject, imagery, lineation, tone, duration, diction, and more. Each of these facets affects what and how a poem does what it does. With closer scrutiny, we can maximize the power of our choices. Participants should bring 2-3 poems to examine and revise.
TIM SEIBLES is the author of several poetry collections including Hurdy-Gurdy, Hammerlock, and Buffalo Head Solos. His latest collection, One Turn Around the Sun was released in 2018. His first book, Body Moves, (1988) has just been re-released by Carnegie Mellon U. Press in their Contemporary Classics series. Fast Animal, was one of five poetry finalists for the 2012 National Book Award. A National Endowment for the Arts fellow, his poetry is featured in several anthologies: Rainbow Darkness; The Manthology; Autumn House Contemporary American Poetry; Black Nature; Evensong; Villanelles; and Sunken Garden Poetry. His poem “Allison Wolff” was included in Best American Poetry 2010 and, his poem “Sotto Voce: Othello, Unplugged” was selected for Best American Poetry 2012. He has been a workshop leader for Cave Canem, and for the Hurston/Wright Foundation. Tim is visiting faculty at the Stonecoast MFA in Writing Program of the University of Southern Maine. He is Poet Laureate of Virginia and lives in Norfolk, where teaches in the MFA Writing program at Old Dominion University.
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