Students will explore what makes an image carry weight in a poem. We will discuss types of images (tangible and abstract) and practice the blending of these types in order to create images that are new and vibrant.
This class will utilize elements of juxtaposition, irony, and surprise to re-invent the classical and the stock image in their poems. We will learn how to describe with intention rather than just instinct.Is the shovel sharp or is the shovel a steel blossom in the garden, a knife in a knife block? Is death infinite, or is death the slow emptying of a wash basin down the drain? Is the man a fool, or is he a refrigerator door installed backwards, with the best stuff left outside to spoil? Is blue a color, or is blue a cold one you crack open with boys, a thing that leaks and fizzes, and that your mother can smell on your breath when you arrive home? Does the clock tic or does it echo like a stiletto down the hall?In this class, we will explore how an image can be shaken to reveal the good, the bad, and the weird. And to hopefully, awaken each poet from their imagistic habits, to refresh each poet's toolkit.
Tickets for this are sliding scale $15-$25, with some supplies provided. Mocktails will be available for purchase at the bar!
The last 30 minutes of the workshop will be an open mic style show-and-tell opportunity for people to share their poems with the group.
