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University of Newcastle

Playing with Poetry: Creative Writing and Poetics

University of Newcastle via FutureLearn

Overview

Get creative with a playful and practical exploration of poetry

Poetry often has the reputation of being an abstract and complicated form of expression, guarded by the pretentious elite.

On this three-week course, you’ll discover the fun and value that can be found in writing your own poetry.

This practical and hands-on course gives you the opportunity to learn the common rules of poetry and then decide how best to turn those rules into an enjoyable creative writing experience.

Explore different techniques such as lineation

What is the effect of rhythm and rhyme on a poem? Does it matter where we decide to start a new line? How do we make use of the power of the lyric? On the course, you’ll explore these questions and learn how to answer them with confidence.

You’ll cover topics such as the basics of poetry, lineation, creative writing, and lyric poetry to gain a comprehensive understanding of the techniques and theories used to shape a poem.

Build your confidence alongside experts

This course will equip you with the knowledge needed to start writing poetry as well as showing you the fun and creative side of poetics.

Learning from David Musgrave, poet, and teacher of Creative Writing and English literature at the University of Newcastle, you’ll finish the course with the skills and confidence to unleash your inner poet.

This course is designed for anyone interested in poetry.

It will be of particular interest if you want to build your understanding of poetry and creative writing.

Syllabus

  • The Basics of Poetry
    • Gather 'Round!
    • What the Heck is Poetry?
    • Open to Interpretation
  • Finding the Line
    • Line Management
    • em•FA•sis
    • Funk it Up: Terminals
  • To Lyricise or Not to Lyricise
    • How Does it Feel?
    • Simon West Poems
    • Bonny Cassidy Poems
    • Funk it up: Deer Head Nation

Taught by

David Musgrave

Reviews

3.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

4.6 rating at FutureLearn based on 100 ratings

Start your review of Playing with Poetry: Creative Writing and Poetics

  • Rambling, but not uninteresting. Most of the course consists of poets reading their work and talking about it, and there are three poetry-writing assignments.

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