How To Make A Poem - Future Learn Course

[Dee]

There is a three week (free) online course starting next Monday, 4 May, on Future Learn Called How To Make A Poem.

It will take a few hours per week commitment but hey, most of us seem to have more time on our hands these days with the lockdown due to Covid-19.

So we thought it would be fun to do this course together.

Here is the link to the course, and join us if you like!

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/how-to-make-a-poem

[Lori]

I'm in! I've logged on and registered. It was very easy to do. I'm not sure what to expect but looking very forward to learning a thing or two. It's wonderful so much is offered free on the site. I will have to delve further into the offerings there - college courses for free. Yes! Of course, the fates have determined I begin work again on Tuesday, but it is somewhat on a limited basis. Love, dove, glove...mauve.

[DawnFae]

Thanks for this thread Dee!
I registered as well.
We'll see if I can manage.

It can't hurt to do something like that

Love sent your way dear Mermaids !

[Dee]

This is fantastic, Ladies!

[DawnFae]

This is fantastic, Ladies!

YAY°

[Lori]

Yay! So glad, Kat! We have the ability to follow each other. Just copy the URL link when you are on your profile page, I believe. Here is mine:

https://www.futurelearn.com/profiles/11700612

[Lori]

Today is a good day. Starting with a songwriting session with my fellow inmate and then onto the poetry class. I'm already realizing the benefit as I am not well-read in poetry and am enjoying the exposure to new poets - or poets I was not aware of to be exact.

It occurs to me that to claim to "do" something such as poetry, you must read poetry. I am a poetry regurgitator without much thought. I understand freeform expression as a wonderful thing, but this can only be wonderful, yes?

[Dee]

What a glorious way to start any week, any day, Lori! Fabulous!

Yes, I believe reading lots of new poetry will be inspirational to us all. I've already taken a lot of names down to explore, from the recommendations of fellow participants on the course. This is so exciting.

I've done the first two units today. Some great discussions already in the forum about why we write poems the first place. Will bring a couple of questions over in a moment.

I've also started the Mindfulness extension course today (also on Future Learn)! Loving the online student life!

[Dee]

Following 1.2, the introduction of the educators, one of the participants, David W, (pinned on top by the mentor) asked the following questions:

If I may, I'd like to note two thoughts that particularly caught my attention and which I would love to "unpack" or discuss further. 1) Mr. Roberts: "A poem... is not just a way of saying something you already know. If it was, I don’t think there would be much point in doing it." For me, I'm not sure how I would avoid writing about what I "know" (what is familiar). 2) Dr. Mort: "If I want to write about something urgently enough, the poem will insist, demand that I listen to it properly." Can you describe what that "feels like? I don't know that I have experienced something like that.

There have been some interesting replies to this. My personal take:

I think any form of art will have elements of what we "know" already, that works well as a starting point, and envelops your art in authenticity. But then the artistic creation will take you on a journey yet untraveled, so it's bound to bring you a new discovery. It's what makes a journey an adventure, right?

Regarding the second question, I personally feel restless, until I can find the time and space to create, once an idea has been planted in my head. It's a buzz. A good feeling, nurturing this little flame, keeping it alight until it's time to build up the fire.

How about you, Ladies?

[Lori]

Awww! Just as I feared (or hoped) this course with its initial opening and offerings by the teachers and participants is a glorious consuming vortex. I actually teared up with gratefulness that I am able to explore these writing in this day and age of ready access to the Internet. Someone introduces a writing or poet and suddenly at my fingertips I am there listening to him or her orate or reading their works.

I will say that part of me knows that I am a bit of an interloper as, again, I am not well-read regarding poetry and find so much of the standards tedious. I did shed that a bit as I dove in. The on-line venue is perfect for someone like me. I doubt I could sit in a classroom with some of these serious poetry folks and feel in my element. However, in this incarnation, it is just fabulous.

It is also wonderful that one can figuratively turn off the spigot when saturation happens. One of my favorite things about life is mystery. I dance on the edges of too much immersion in a single poem or poet lest the mystery be diluted and the creator outed. I have to guard this spirit of essence.

Those were interesting questions pinned to the top of the first section.

My personal take:

I think any form of art will have elements of what we "know" already, that works well as a starting point, and envelops your art in authenticity. But then the artistic creation will take you on a journey yet untraveled, so it's bound to bring you a new discovery. It's what makes a journey an adventure, right?

That is a wonderful way of putting it. To add - sometimes we don't know what we know, ya know? In other words, we begin something and realize we've our own perspectives plus perspectives of others whom we've watched, listened to, and placed ourselves in their reality, thereby making it our own experience to some extent or at least broadening our understanding to the point where we can weave these images together. The areas we've all explored together on this site are a good example. I carry you all with me and see things with new eyes because I've had the honor of seeing things through your eyes, experiences, and spirits. So we hunt and gather things organically which we can ultimately use. Always a journey.

Regarding the second question, I personally feel restless, until I can find the time and space to create, once an idea has been planted in my head. It's a buzz. A good feeling, nurturing this little flame, keeping it alight until it's time to build up the fire.

Yes! Something to be unwrapped and life breathed into. It sometimes lives in the stomach almost as if on the precipice of a downward slope of a rollercoaster. I admit, at times the impulse feels so buzzy and fine, then the birthed little creature on paper or in the air (if a song) can sometimes be a disappointing and misshapen little thing! Mostly, though, the approach I use is accepting it all as expression and valuing its purpose if only that of a stepping stone to another buzzy feeling.

How about you, Ladies?

I can tell this is going to consume a LOT of time and attention. It's very fun already!

[Dee]

Awww! Just as I feared (or hoped) this course with its initial opening and offerings by the teachers and participants is a glorious consuming vortex. I actually teared up with gratefulness that I am able to explore these writing in this day and age of ready access to the Internet. Someone introduces a writing or poet and suddenly at my fingertips I am there listening to him or her orate or reading their works.

Ha! Isn't that wonderful? That is my study focus today, stay on 1.4 Favourite Poems and check out some of the suggested poems.

I will say that part of me knows that I am a bit of an interloper as, again, I am not well-read regarding poetry and find so much of the standards tedious. I did shed that a bit as I dove in. The on-line venue is perfect for someone like me. I doubt I could sit in a classroom with some of these serious poetry folks and feel in my element. However, in this incarnation, it is just fabulous.

Lol, their is no such thing as an interloper. When it comes down to it, when you read a poem, all you need to bring to the table is yourself, and then react. No amount of previously read poetry will make any more difference in your response to it then any other life experiences. We will like what we like.

The participants on the course come from all walks of life with zero to huge knowledge of Poetry, so we can all learn from one another. Knowledge versus fresh eye, all have a lot to offer.

It is also wonderful that one can figuratively turn off the spigot when saturation happens.

Isn't that a huge bonus? And with no exams, no pressures, you can really just arrive as a bird to the feeder and take as much as you like, and fly off when you like. Love it. Best school ever.

One of my favorite things about life is mystery. I dance on the edges of too much immersion in a single poem or poet lest the mystery be diluted and the creator outed. I have to guard this spirit of essence.

This. You're so right.
I studied literature at university and I must admit, by the end of my degree I was completely turned off it. The constant analysis and referencing and academic dissection of everything, I felt it sometimes destroyed the very spirit of reading. It took me a long while to get over this.

Also, the snobbism that surrounds literature can be very off-putting. What is considered high literature and standards... often speak nothing to us, or not anymore. Thank goodness we are at the ripe age when we can totally own our likes and dislikes and preference.

I've only read the two poems yesterday that the tutors have picked as their favourites. Really liked the second one and the first one made me . So there. "Own it, live it, love it", like the wise man said. Applicable to everything.


To add - sometimes we don't know what we know, ya know? In other words, we begin something and realize we've our own perspectives plus perspectives of others whom we've watched, listened to, and placed ourselves in their reality, thereby making it our own experience to some extent or at least broadening our understanding to the point where we can weave these images together. The areas we've all explored together on this site are a good example. I carry you all with me and see things with new eyes because I've had the honor of seeing things through your eyes, experiences, and spirits. So we hunt and gather things organically which we can ultimately use. Always a journey.

This is all true of course. And this is where people who have read a lot and seen a lot of films and have talked to a lot of people can have an advantage. Simply because of all the internalised life experiences and perspectives. But again, it's not always a question of quantity, but mostly the quality of books, films and people, and most importantly the qualities of the person who reads, watches and befriends.

Yes! Something to be unwrapped and life breathed into. It sometimes lives in the stomach almost as if on the precipice of a downward slope of a rollercoaster.

Sounds very familiar!

I admit, at times the impulse feels so buzzy and fine, then the birthed little creature on paper or in the air (if a song) can sometimes be a disappointing and misshapen little thing!

I get that a lot with land art...

Mostly, though, the approach I use is accepting it all as expression and valuing its purpose if only that of a stepping stone to another buzzy feeling.

Perfectly said.

I can tell this is going to consume a LOT of time and attention. It's very fun already!

So happy to do this together.

[Lori]

Interesting course. Glad I have some time on my hands. Yet, I don't have enough brain space to delve adequately into what hundreds of people are commenting on and suggesting, though I go in quite deep. I am at 1:13 currently. Here we go....