Ways into poetry: intensive

About this course

The course introduces poetry through guided writing exercises and workshop readings. Learners experiment with different forms and styles while examining craft elements such as rhythm, tone, structure, lineation and rhyme. Sessions also consider how published poems use imagery, metaphor, simile and ekphrasis, with discussion helping learners apply these ideas to their own writing. Teaching includes tutor-led discussion, pair and small-group work, feedback on poems and opportunities to revise drafts.

What you'll learn

• Create vivid images using poetic language
• Apply lineation and rhyme when composing poems
• Use metaphor, simile and ekphrasis in original writing
• Write in forms including the sonnet and haiku
• Edit poems for craft and structure
• Analyse key elements in published and original poetry

Is this course right for you?

This introductory course welcomes complete beginners. It involves writing during class, discussing poems in pairs and small groups, reading work aloud in workshops and exchanging constructive feedback. A good level of spoken and written English is needed, and optional homework is set each week.

• A good level of spoken and written English is needed
• Learners should expect to share and discuss writing with others
• Weekly homework exercises are optional

Before you go

• Bring a notebook and pen or pencil.
• Learners are encouraged to alert the tutor and classmates in advance if shared writing contains potentially sensitive material.