Class

Double-Session Class: You Don’t Have to Tell the Truth: Omission, Speculation and Fruitful Lies in Poetry

There are many reasons why a poem may resist the explicit truth—a name, a place, an action. During this two part workshop, we'll examine poems that spurn the reader, that ask for whom do we write and what do we preserve by writing? With inspiration from Franny Choi, Taylor Johnson, Saeed Jones, and Donika Kelly, we'll try forms and exercises to give ourselves permission to alter, invent and deceive. Students will leave the first session with 2-3 new poem drafts and revision exercises to help them revisit their work. For the second session, students are invited to submit poems for a group workshop. Participants will each receive written and verbal feedback along with personalized reading recommendations from the instructor.

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.

Some classes use a supplemental Google Classroom page. Should your teaching artist use Google Classroom, you will be invited to join the classroom via email at least 24 hours in advance of your class (check spam folders if you are not seeing this invitation). Please note that Google Classroom requires a Gmail address to access the Classroom. If you do not have a Gmail account, the email invitation will be sent to the email address we have on file and will prompt you to create a free account or enter an existing account to join the classroom. If we are unable to send an email invitation to your non-gmail account, you will be contacted by a staff member to provide a Gmail address. If you do not have a Gmail account, you can create a free account here. Should you have concerns about this, please contact a Loft staff member at [email protected] or 612-379-8999. For more information on how to use Google Classroom, please see our training manual here.