Very Short & Very Very Short Poems with Chen Chen

with Chen Chen

Sunday, May 31

2-5 p.m. Eastern

Google Meet

Sliding Scale

Brevity is the soul of wit, said William (you know which one), but my soul (and maybe yours?) struggles to be brief. In this generative session we will look at model poems (brilliant brevities!) by Linda Gregg, Lucille Clifton, Leila Chatti, Jenny George, Victoria Chang, and Kevin Bertolero. We’ll discuss the various challenges that short forms present and various strategies or lyric windows through those hurdles. In between each handful of poems, we’ll write. Participants can expect to draft at least three new pieces and there will be time at the end to share a snippet of what you’ve made (totally optional, of course). Whether you adore writing short poems or find them daunting (or both!) we’ll read, talk, and do our dreamiest.