The Urgent Poem

Class Description

Writing about a poem she claims is the central poem of her writing life, Marie Howe writes that this perfect poem "is an experience. It’s happening to the poet as he writes it ─ not a record of an experience, not a memory ─ the experience is occurring to him word by word ─ a stepping into space without a rope." Howe learned to import that urgency into her own writing, and you too can learn how to convey immediacy from robust poets like Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Ross Gay, Ada Limon, and Danez Smith. We’ll also do strategic generating to find your strong touchstone topics and investigate the craft of poetry, so you can find a grounding presence within the urgent poem. Expect to leave with many starter sprouts, supportive and strategic feedback, and five effective techniques for bringing energy to your poetry.

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