The main focus of Poetry 2 is to further develop and refine your writing with the eventual aim of producing a successful dissertation portfolio of fully realised, finished poems. Poetry 2 differs from Poetry 1 in that you are encouraged to develop a sequence or series of wholly new poems.
In this module you will develop your practice of writing poetry through both the study of a range of contemporary examples and constructive feedback on your own work. Each week, you will be exposed to a wide range of exemplary, contemporary sequences. The approach to the exemplary texts will be technical rather than historical; at every point priority is given to your own particular development as poets.
The reading list does not represent a curriculum as such, but indicates the range of works and traditions we will draw upon to stimulate new thought about your own work. Decisions about reading will be taken in response to individual interests. Likewise, you will be directed toward work which will be of particular benefit to you.
Total Contact Hours: 20
Private Study Hours: 280
Total Study Hours: 300
This module is the core module for the MA in Creative Writing and will be made available to other students subject to places.
Spring term only.
Portfolio of 12-15 Poems or no fewer than 150 lines of Poetry– 100%
Indicative reading list:
Agbabi, P., 2014, Telling Tales. Canongate, Edinburgh and London.
Etter, C., 2018, The Weather in Normal. Shearsman, Bristol.
Hughes, P., Cavalcanty. Carcanet, Manchester.
Skoulding, Z., Teint: for the Bièvre. Hafan Books, Swansea.
Stonecipher, D., 2015, Model City, Shearsman, Bristol.
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1 Demonstrate their capacity for close reading and critical analysis and applied these skills to their practice;
2 Identify, critically evaluate and interrogate particular poetic and literary techniques found in modern and contemporary poetry (for example, formal innovation, repetition, extended metaphor, polyvocality) and make use of them in their practice;
3 Reflect on the wide range of stylistic practices open to the contemporary poet and developed an understanding of how these relate to the development of poetic sequences and series;
4 Confidently apply advanced poetic techniques within their work;
5 Demonstrate understanding, through practice, the value of drafting and editing;
6 Plan and undertake a portfolio of poems which demonstrates both a developed sense of the internal relations between poems, and of the relation between work and its audience.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1 Demonstrate a critical language;
2 Apply that language to their own work, through collective- and self-criticism;
3 Demonstrate sympathy with traditions other than those in which they themselves are working;
4 Demonstrate confidence and ability to work in group situations;
5 Demonstrate sophisticated communicative and collaborative skills;
6 Demonstrate substantial capacity for independent imaginative projects and research;
7 Gather and evaluate a range of materials from diverse contexts.
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