Poetry-ish: Hybridity and Society

Poetry-ish is a class examining how poetry speaks to, merges with, or embeds itself in other
genres in order to make a multimedia social statement. We will look at the intersections between
craft and criticism, audience and experimentation, history and self-expression. Readings will
move from early examples of hybridity to postmodern experimentation to creative examinations
into such contemporary issues as climate change, A.I., and the structural racism that inspired
Black Lives Matter. Genres include legal treaties, programming code, comics, cinema, opera,
jazz, and of course, poetry. Students will be asked to write three short essays, take turns leading
class discussion, submit one longer research-based project, and engage in various creative and
critical writing exercises throughout the semester. Planned authors include Layli Long Soldier,
William Blake, Franny Choi, JP Howard, Vanessa Anglica Villarreal, Douglas Kearney, Daveed
Diggs, and Langston Hughes.