Crafting the Miraculous: Using Image & Metaphor in Poetry

Class Description

"I dreamed a knife like a song you can’t whistle."

- Frank Stanford

Images and metaphors are the meat and potatoes of poetry. As foundational elements, they can both sharpen and cloud our understanding of poems. As writers, it’s important for us to be able to distinguish between the two effects. While image and metaphor can be difficult to pin down and discuss, we’ll focus on using them to strengthen and clarify meaning in your poems. We’ll read work by an array of writers to uncover their implicit and explicit meanings. We’ll think about how you can use images and metaphors as generative tools in your writing process. For this course, you may bring in early drafts of poems for us to discuss, or we can talk about pieces you’ll produce through in-class writing exercises. We’ll work together to shape your writing, while thinking about opportunities for expansion and contraction. Our reading for this course includes: Natalie Diaz, Ross Gay, Dean Young, Brenda Shaughnessy, T.S. Eliot, Rebecca Lindenberg, and Frank Stanford.

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.

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