ENG 437 Twentieth-Century American Poetry (Peterson)

This class will examine the craft of poetry through the major poets and poetic schools of twentieth-century American literature.  Thus, our focus will lie in fleshing out poetry’s foundational elements, while also seeking to understand the means by which great poets from the past century have synthesized these elements into poems that embody an aesthetic vision that is responsive to their historical and cultural moment.  Students will write their own poems in order to understand the mechanics of poetry more fully, as well as interpretive essays that examine the complexities of the assigned reading.  No previous experience in writing or studying poetry is needed, merely an interest in exploring the rich and exciting possibilities of this art form.