writing

General Discussion: The speaker expresses a desire to engage with students about their learning experiences and upcoming poetry challenges.
Reminder: Students are encouraged to pay attention to submission dates including time, number of participants, and specific assignment details.

Purpose of the Challenge: The "poem a day plus challenge" aims to encourage students to generate multiple pieces of poetry.
Expectation Setting: Students are prompted to recognize the increase in expectations as they transition into poetry.
Structure of the Challenge:
- Prompts will be released over the next five weekdays with opportunities for responses.
- Specific timings set for responses: one workshop today, another tomorrow, and one on the following Tuesday and Wednesday.

Prompt Structure: Each prompt should foster engagement with various topics. They can respond however they wish, whether that be through creating poetry directly inspired by the prompts or reflecting personally on the topics introduced.
Content of Prompts: Suggested content includes links to relevant literature, such as poems for critical reading and response.

Discrepancy between Fiction and Poetry: Emphasis on the difference in writing style and requirements:
- Memoir and fiction submissions typically range around 2,500 words.
- Poetry submissions are likely to be shorter with the potential for multiple pieces constituting a 500-word requirement.
Workshop Dynamics: Focus on collaborative creation and the importance of generating several pieces over the course of writing workshops.

Class Discussion: Students engage in a group discussion about similarities and differences between poetry and other genres like short stories or music.
- Identified Differences: Length of work, thematic expressions, technique of storytelling.
- Identified Similarities: Both forms may convey emotions and tell narratives; they can explore deeper themes and experiences.

Discussion Points: Dialogue regarding the historical context of older poets such as Dylan Thomas and Tennyson.
Connection Across Time: The ability of older poems to impact contemporary audiences despite the language barrier illustrates poetry's enduring capacity to touch lives.

Language Use: Discussion of how the language of older poetry may seem archaic, yet conveys universal themes that resonate across time.
Importance of Simplicity: Emphasis on the necessity of using modern and accessible language in contemporary poetry to communicate effectively.

Role of Punctuation: A distinction is made about how punctuation influences the emotional buildup within poetry.
- Run-On Lines: A technique mentioned, which allows for greater emotional fluidity and connection between thoughts without interruption.
Impact of Structure: Encouragement to experiment with punctuation and sentence flow to enhance emotional connections in poetry.

E. E. Cummings' Style: The use of unconventional grammar and capitalization in poetry, specifically referencing E. E. Cummings and others who prioritize expressive freedom over strict adherence to rules.
Concrete Poetry: Discussion on specific forms such as concrete poetry and formal poetry where structure plays a crucial role in expressing themes and feelings.

Understanding the Transition: Overview of how poetic movements shifted from strict forms to free verse in the mid-20th century.
- Critical Component: The concept that while free verse allows for flexibility, rhythm and musicality remain vital components.
Blend of Old and New: A call to recognize the merits of traditional forms while embracing contemporary expressiveness.

Overview of Musical Elements: Exploration of various musical aspects such as:
- Alliteration: Repeating consonant sounds.
- Assonance: Repeating vowel sounds within close proximity.
Syllable Patterns: Reflection on syllable counts and how they help create rhythm and contribute to the overall musicality of poetry.

Narrative vs Message Distinction: Clarifying that a poignant theme or message can exist independent of the manner in which it is expressed. Each story told through poetry can entail different interpretations and unique perspectives even when discussing the same theme.
Conflict in Poetry: Discussion encouraging students to explore personal conflicts in their writing, creating deeper connections between their lived experiences and the poetry they craft.

Next Steps: Students tasked with writing about personal conflicts in poetic form, incorporating techniques learned throughout the workshop. This includes:
- Exploring structural patterns, engaging the senses, and incorporating rich language.
Final Encouragement: Recognition of the students' engagement and resilience, fostering encouragement as they proceed with their poetry assignments.