Using the Epistolary to Jumpstart the Poem

Many of us remember the pleasure of writing and receiving letters, the way an evolving correspondence could deepen our understanding of our correspondent and ourselves. In this generative poetry seminar, we'll activate our letter writing skills to create poems that tap into the dimensions of a letter. Using models by Victoria Chang, Eve Ewing, William Carlos Williams, Catherine Wing, and others, we'll explore the possibilities of the epistle–how it compresses exposition, makes room for complex relationships, allows for both distance and intimacy. Once we cross the threshold of speaker, audience, and premise, we’ll be on our way!