(Un)Defining the Lyric: Elegy, Eros, Ode

ENGL 5279-001: Studies in Poetry: (Un)Defining the Lyric
Instructor: Professor Ruth Ellen Kocher
Office Denison 195
kocherr@colorado.edu
Thur 1-3:30 pm — LIBR N424B
Course Texts: American Hybrid, Lofty Dogmas, Radiant Lyre, Autumn House Anthy

This course will examine the proliferation of text defined by, influenced by, categorized as, resistant to, and governed by the notion of the lyric word. We will examine the notion of lyric in its manifestations as a literary device, both as a governing and deconstructive center, taking into consideration critical perspectives on poetry genre through essay, interview, theory, and discussion. Students will also be asked to read assigned primary collections of poetry and generate commentary on that work within the context of class discussion and lecture. This course aims to examine lyric both within and without predictable parameters and encourages students to (re)define lyric through emerging trends, technologies, and dialogues as well as within the context of traditional perspectives. Student research will culminate in a research project of no fewer than 20 pages of critical writing.

Consider this an organic class, that is, over the course of the semester we may exchange some readings for others, we may lose some readings, we may add some readings. Most, we may also incorporate images, music, digital recordings/poetry/art, and any other creative piece of medium that helps inform our notion of contemporary lyric

Students will be responsible for class presentations which set the stage for discussion each day. Discussion in this course is quite important. Absences should be kept to a minimum. Missing more than one seminar will mean you’ll miss a considerable amount of work. Missing two seminars means you should make and appt. to come see me so that we can talk about it. Missing three seminars makes you eligible for failure, and you, obviously, should come to see me. No extensions for papers will be given. A student cannot receive a passing final grade in the course if a paper is not turned in.

Class Presentation 20%
Short Paper 25%
Long Paper 40%
Class Participation 15%

Papers
Students will be responsible for a short paper (5000 words) and a long paper (10,000 words). The short paper will constitute close readings and comparison of 3 or more authors we have discussed in class with reference to 1 but preferably more of the essays/craft talks we have discussed, within the context of Lyric and Lyric definition which includes form, subject, tradition, innovation, etc. Close reading requires that students analyze and evaluate the work of an author with close attention given to exegesis, or an explanation of the text. You will have opportunities to discuss theme, symbolism, historical and political context, and writerly intent and methodology (often having to do with formal considerations) among other approaches which we will also discuss during class time.

The long paper will be a research based paper/project, of graduate level quality with the potential for future publication. You will be responsible, as well, for an annotated bibliography for the research that you’ve used for the paper. Given the length and involvement of this paper, you should visit me during office hours to receive instruction on research paper writing if you’re uncomfortable with the project. The long paper will require you to do research in the library to procure articles on your topic, to read and annotate those articles, to develop a succinct thesis, and to develop that thesis throughout the paper with close reading and textual support from the research materials you have gathered. Articles used for the papers should not be older than 15 years and books should not be older than 20 years. The more contemporary your sources, the more you can build on your own ideas toward a new definition of the Lyric. You will be asked to discuss the Lyric within the context of class discussion but also to posit your own original ideas and readings of texts with critical support.

Both the long and short papers will be graded on the following criteria: execution of form (following style requirements, organization, development of points, execution of thesis, use and application of research materials) and execution of content (the quality of the ideas you put forth, the creativity with which you approach your discussion of primary sources, the relevence of your research materials, and the overall level of thoughtfulness and attention you have paid to detail). You have the potential to earn 50 points for execution of form and 50 points for execution of content which will comprise the 100 point value for the paper. Your final grade will be the sum of points you have earned total in ratio to the number of points available. If you earn 40 points for your execution of form and 45 points for your execution of content, you will receive a 95% grade for your paper.

Class Schedule

January
Thur 14 Baker (RL) Intro; Elegy Section, all essays. Xi-36

Thur 21 Mackey “Cante Moro” (LD80); Hirsch from “Fending Off Duende” (LD 56); Lorca (Packet) Duende, all poems.[Duende v. Rationality]

Thur 28 Hejinian (LD 286) “The Rejection of Closure”; Gertrude Stein “Composition as Explanation (packet); Michael Burkhard (AH) “A Sideways Suicide”’ Stacy Doris “from Cheerleader” (AH); John Berryman “Dreamsong 14” (packet)

February
Thur 4 Jahan Ramazani “Can Poetry Console a Grieving Public” (packet); Finkelstein “Two Problems in Recent American Poetry” (handout) Molly Bendal (AH) all poems; Norman Dubie (AH) ‘Of Politics and Art’, “Two Stanzas”

Thur 11 Paul Valery, from Comments on Poetry; Gerald Stern (AC) all poems; Lynn Emmanuel (AH) “Elipses” “Elegy for The Poetry of Her Personal Experience” “The Suddenly”. Mutlu Konuk Blasing (handout) "The Scripted "I""

Thur 18 Rilke (LD) from “Letters to a Young Poet” and Elegies 1,2,3; Walt Whitman “Lilacs…” Donald Hall (packet) “Goatsfoot, Milktongue, Twinbird”

Thur 25 Baker (RL)” The Love Poem”; Anne Townsend, “The Technological Sublime”; Plumly “The Intimate Sublime” Killarney Clary (AH) all poems

March
Thur 4 Annie Finch (LD) “Towards a New Model of the Poetic Self”; Baker (RL) The Sublime: Origs and Definitions” ; James Galvin (AH) all poems; Brenda Hillman (AH) all poems; Alice Notley (AH) from ‘The Descent of Allete” (Finklestein article/handout)

Thur 11 Baker “I’m Nobody: Lyric Poetry and the Problem of People”; Frank O’Hara (LD) Personism: Manifesto; Rae Armantrout (AH) all poems. Beckian Fritz Goldberg (handout) all poems. Hank Lazer (handout) "Lyricism of the Swerve: The Poetry of Rae Armantrout".

Thur 18 Auden, from “The Virgin and the Dynamo”; Stanley Plumly “The Intimage Sublime”; Reginald Shepherd (AH) all poems; Noah Eli Gordon, excerpt Novel Pictoral Noise. Sarah Gambito (handout) all poems.

SHORT PAPER DUE

Thur 25 Spring Break

April
Thur 1 Ostriker “from Stealing the Language”; Lazer (handout) “Poetry and Myth” Harryette Mullen (AH) all poems, and “Conversation” (LD)

Thur 8 No Class

Thur 15 Paul Celan (Packet); Rimbaud (packet) Bouldelaire (packet/online); Hugo “The Triggering Town”; Kathleen Frazer (AH) all poems; excerpts, Julie Carr, 100 Notes on Violence.

Thur 22 Lisa Robertson, “How Pastoral: A Manifesto”; James Galvin (AH) all poems; Peter Gizzi (AH) all poems; Linda Gregerson (RL) “Life Among Others”

Thur 29 Benjamin Saltman, The Deck (packet/online); Marjorie Perloff (packet/online); Eleni Skelianos (AH) all poems; Claudine Rankine (AH) all poems

Final Papers will be the final exam for this course. Papers are due May 5th by 4:00 in my office. No late papers will be accepted for a passing grade, though all students must turn in a paper in order to complete requirements for the course in order to get a grade for the course. Extensions will not be granted. Please seek help early in the term if you do not feel confident in the task at hand or you need help distilling your topic and/or approach to the research project.

[As I said in the beginning of the term, this class will evolve organically as students and instructor add to the readings from work we have individually discovered as the semester progresses ... therefore, this syllabus contains only schedule, and not spontaneous, readings]

[Department and University Policies of import to this course are found on the original hard copy of the syllabus. Contact me if you'd like another, please. ]