English 243A: Reading Poetry
Spring 2025
Class Meets: MW 1:30pm - 3:20pm
Classroom: SMI 305
SLN: 14086
Instructor: Deane Wilson (She/They)
Email: dgwilson@uw.edu
Office: Padelford Hall, room B402
Office Hours: Monday, 11am-1pm (in person, but email me if you would like to schedule a Zoom meeting during these times).
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to English 243A: Reading Poetry! This course will introduce you to the art of poetry and the art of reading it. You will learn how to approach, interpret, talk about, and appreciate poetry by major writers from the 17th -21st Centuries, and you will discover that “reading” poetry means engaging in each of those activities in turn. We will spend considerable time puzzling out “what” poems mean, but we will also aim to articulate “how” they mean, what they do, and why they move us (or confuse us). The first part of the course will be organized thematically; we will read a sampling of poems from different eras to consider how poets have engaged in ongoing conversation about life, language, and the human experience. In the second part of the course, we will narrow our focus to a few influential poets and poetic movements, and we will conclude with a reading of Solmaz Sharif’s 2016 book Look.
This course will strengthen your reading, critical thinking, and writing skills to prepare you for future coursework. To this end, you will be asked to submit five short, informal responses to the assigned readings, and you will develop these into two formal papers (3-5 pages in length). Your first paper will analyze a specific poem or poems; your second paper may be written as an analytical paper or as a book review. I will provide models for both genres of writing, and we will discuss how to draft, edit, and revise throughout the quarter.
REQUIRED TEXTS: Physical copies of the following are required (no e-books). A PDF of the course reader will be made available, but you are required to bring a physical copy of readings to class:
- Course Reader. (Available from Professional Copy Print, 4200 University Way NE Seattle.)
- Solmaz Sharif, Look (Graywolf, 2016). Copies will be available in the bookstore, or you can order here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/look-poems/8234229?ean=9781555977443
ASSESSMENT
Response Papers 20%
Essay 1 (3-4 pages): 20%
Essay 2 (4-6 pages): 25%
Prewriting: 10% (5% each)
Quizzes: 10%
Classwork and in-class writing: 5%
Class Participation: 10%
*Please note that the assignments are not perfectly weighted on Canvas, therefore you will need to calculate your grade using the above weight distribution. As I input assignment grades, Canvas will automatically compute your course grade according to the following scale:
97% or higher: 4.0
95-96: 3.9
93-94: 3.8
92: 3.7
91: 3.6
90: 3.5
89: 3.4
88: 3.3
87: 3.2
86: 3.1
85: 3.0
84: 2.9
83: 2.8
82: 2.7
81: 2.6
80: 2.5
79: 2.4
78: 2.3
77: 2.2
76: 2.1
75: 2.0
74: 1.9
73: 1.8
72: 1.7
71: 1.6
70: 1.5
69: 1.4
68: 1.3
67: 1.2
66: 1.1
65: 1.0
65% or lower: 0
Writing Assignments
- Response Papers (20%): Sometimes the best way to understand a poem is to write about it. This quarter you will be asked to write five short (500-word) reflections on a poem we have read in class. These will be graded based on completion, adherence to instructions, and effort. For instructions and grading details, see “How to Write a Response Paper.” These informal writing assignments will give you the chance to practice the methods of reading and analysis you will apply in your formal essays, and you will be encouraged to adapt them into your “prewriting” (preliminary drafts) for your essays.
- Prewriting (10%): A week before each paper is due, I will ask you to submit a draft or a substantial piece of “prewriting” for that paper. Your draft or prewriting should be at least 3 pages long, and may include a combination of notes, close readings, questions, or an expanded outline.
- 2 Formal Essays (45%): In addition to your informal writing assignments, you will write two essays on a poem or set of poems we have read in class. The first essay will be an analytical essay; the second essay may be and analytical essay or a book review. Whichever genre you choose to write in, each essay should demonstrate attentive reading, thoughtful analysis, and careful application of the analytical techniques we will address in this class. For an overview of writing assignments, see here.
Quizzes (10%): Occasional quizzes will be given (approximate once a week) to reinforce course material and encourage attention to the readings. These will be short and relatively easy, and I will not announce them in advance. If you are absent or late, you cannot make up the quiz. I will however drop the lowest 2 quiz grades to account for occasional absences.
Classwork and in-class writing: (5%): classwork will include small group discussions, annotation assignments, and in-class writing. Note that you cannot receive credit for classwork assignments if you are absent.
Class Participation: (10%) Attendance and participation are vital to your success in this class. The process of writing about literature does not begin when you sit down to write your first draft. Instead, it begins when you think creatively and critically about a text, asking questions, exploring difficulties, and testing your ideas in group conversations. Our class discussions will model the methods of reading, inquiry, and analysis that your papers should employ, and your regular participation will allow you (and your peers) to get the most out of this class. In order to succeed in this class and receive full credit for participation, you should aim to do the following:
- Prepare the readings: To prepare for class, you should read each poem carefully, ideally more than once, and annotate (mark-up) the poem as you read. Coming to class prepared with notes or questions about the reading will make it much easier for you to participate in class discussions, and your notes will be a valuable starting point for your papers.
- Participate in large and small group discussions: Ask questions, share your thoughts, and listen attentively during large and small group discussions. Volunteer to take notes to receive groupwork credit.
- Complete and submit in-class writing
- Be attentive and respectful, and take notes on lectures and discussions
- Respect the electronics policy: The use of cell phones is not permitted in class. Laptops and tablets may be used for notetaking and classwork, but they should not be used for non-class purposes. If I notice that you are frequently distracted by your laptop, your class participation grade will be affected.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Perform competent close readings of course texts and similar texts.
- Understand the investments, contexts, and effects of close reading and analytical writing.
- Gain essential vocabulary for terms and concepts related to poetry
- Improve your writing skills generally, and especially with regard to writing about literature.
- Deepen your appreciation and knowledge of poetry
NOTES ON CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Some of our course texts contain potentially disturbing material that relates to systemic and interpersonal violence of different kinds (racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, and more). Depending on your own proximity to systemic violence and other factors, you will likely find some of this material difficult to cover. I encourage you to be compassionate to yourselves and each other as we work through these difficult materials together, and to do what you need to do to take care of yourselves throughout the quarter. This might mean closing the book and turning your attention to something else, leaving class in the middle of a difficult discussion, or opting not to come to class on a given day. If you find it too difficult to work with one of our course texts, please acknowledge that difficulty and let me know so I can arrange an alternative assignment for you.
LATE WORK POLICY
If you think you will not be able to complete an assignment on time, please let me know within 3 days of the due-date so we can arrange a possible extension. If you do not receive an extension, late assignments will lose half a grade point for each day they are late. (For example, an ‘A’ paper that is one day late will receive an A-, and so on, with a maximum loss of four full grade points.) Last minute extensions will not be granted except in extreme circumstances.
A NOTE ON PLAGIARISM
When you put your name on a piece of writing, you assert that the ideas expressed and the words used to express them are yours and yours alone. That doesn't mean you can’t borrow ideas from other sources; academic writing is full of borrowing, and writers commonly quote, cite and acknowledge the scholars, teachers, and friends whose ideas have inspired them. However, any sources that inform your work (including digital sources) must be properly acknowledged in your Work Cited page and in-text citations. Failure to acknowledge sources is considered plagiarism, and intentional plagiarism will earn you a zero on the assignment in question and will likely be reported to the UW Office of Community Standards and Academic Conduct. If you are struggling with your writing, reach out to me or to the qualified professionals at the Odegaard Writing Center (Link here: https://depts.washington.edu/owrcweb/wordpress/).
POLICY ON THE USE OF AI
The assignments in this class have been designed to challenge your reading, critical-thinking, and writing skills. Using AI technology will limit your capacity to develop these skills and to meet the learning goals of this course. For this reason, using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to generate text or ideas for your assignments is strictly forbidden. Using it to generate text is dishonest, since you are putting your name on something that you didn't write. Using it to generate ideas—without citing it as the source of those ideas—may constitute plagiarism. More importantly, the ideas it has about literature are often vague and inaccurate, so they are more likely to weaken your writing than to strengthen it. We will discuss specific, allowable ways you can use AI to improve grammar, but all other uses of AI will be considered academic misconduct and treated as such.
Here's what you can do to cover yourself against plagiarism:
- Most cases of plagiarism are accidental and result from an imperfect understanding of what counts as plagiarism. Be sure to read the university’s definition of plagiarism and associated policies, here: https://students.nursing.uw.edu/policies/student-policies/plagiarism/
- Do not use AI to generate or rewrite language. AI-generated writing is noticeably different from human writing and will likely raise suspicions of plagiarism.
- At any stage of your writing, keep your drafts, notes, papers, and research materials. If a question of plagiarism arises, you'll have a paper trail to documents your work.
- Don't use editing services. Don't ask anyone, even family or friends, to edit your paper or help you write it. You need to do that work yourself.
- If you would like additional help with your writing, contact the Odegaard Writing Center, where trained professionals are there to help you without colluding in plagiarism. Link here: https://depts.washington.edu/owrcweb/wordpress/
- Last but not least, ask me if you have any questions about honesty.
CONTACTING ME
For questions regarding due dates, office hours, or assignment details, please be sure to check the syllabus before emailing me, since it is likely to contain the information you're looking for. For all other inquiries, feel free to reach out to me at dgwilson@uw.edu. I will respond to emails within 24 hours of receiving them. If I do not respond, feel free to email me again, as your email may have been buried among others.
ACCESSIBILITY CLAUSE
If you need accommodation of any sort, please let me know so that I can work with the UW Disability Resources for Students Office (DRS) to provide what you require. More information about accommodation may be found at http://www.washington.edu/students/drs. Outside of documented needs for accommodation, I recognize that we all think, communicate, and learn differently. Please reflect on your individual learning needs and communicate with me as soon as possible about how best this course can accommodate them.
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS
“Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at the Registrar’s website: https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/
Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form found here: https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/cssc/facultystaff/academic-misconduct/.
DEPARTMENTAL COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND JUSTICE
The UW English Department aims to help students become more incisive thinkers, effective communicators, and imaginative writers by acknowledging that language and its use are powerful and hold the potential to empower individuals and communities; to provide the means to engage in meaningful conversation and collaboration across differences and with those with whom we disagree; and to offer methods for exploring, understanding, problem solving, and responding to the many pressing collective issues we face in our world--skills that align with and support the University of Washington’s mission to educate “a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders through a challenging learning environment informed by cutting-edge scholarship.”
As a department, we begin with the conviction that language and texts play crucial roles in the constitution of cultures and communities, past, present, and future. Our disciplinary commitments to the study of English (its history, multiplicity, and development; its literary and artistic uses; and its global role in shaping and changing cultures) require of us a willingness to engage openly and critically with questions of power and difference. As such, in our teaching, service, and scholarship we frequently initiate and encourage conversations about topics such as race and racism, immigration, gender, sexuality, class, indigeneity, and colonialisms. These topics are fundamental to the inquiry we pursue. We are proud of this fact, and we are committed to creating an environment in which our faculty and students can do so confidently and securely, knowing that they have the backing of the department.
Towards that aim, we value the inherent dignity and uniqueness of individuals and communities. We acknowledge that our university is located on the shared lands and waters of the Coast Salish peoples. We aspire to be a place where human rights are respected and where any of us can seek support. This includes people of all ethnicities, faiths, gender identities, national and indigenous origins, political views, and citizenship status; nontheists; LGBQTIA+; those with disabilities; veterans; and anyone who has been targeted, abused, or disenfranchised.
SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
*This schedule is subject to change, so always check Canvas for updates.
*Readings are listed under the due date, and should be completed by that date. All readings can be found in the course reader, unless otherwise indicated.
______________________________________________________________________________
Week 1: Introduction: Describing Poems
Mon, Mar 31- Introduction
Wed, Apr 2* (Readings Provided as Handout, or on Canvas)
- Helen Vendler, “Describing Poems” (101-119)
- Sylvia Path, “Morning Song,” Harryette Mullen, “We Are Not Responsible,” Victoria Chang, “The Thread,” C.D. Wright, "Re: Happiness, In Pursuit Thereof," Frank O'Hara, "Animals"
________________________________________________________________________
Week 2: The Sonnet
Mon, Apr 7
- Read “Learning the Sonnet” on the Poetry Foundation website.
- Selected sonnets by William Shakespeare, John Donne, Percy Bysshe Shelly, Gerard Manley Hopkins
- Terms: Shakespearean sonnet, Petrarchan sonnet, iambic pentameter, octave, sestet, quatrain, volta, apostrophe, enjambment
Wed, Apr 9
- Acheson: “Research Within the Text” & Sample Paper
- Close reading handouts, OWL website, “Close Reading”
- Modern and contemporary sonnets by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Robert Hayden, Gwendolyn Brooks, Terrance Hayes (Course Reader), Julian Talamantez Brolaski (Due: RP 1)
- Terms: connotation, allusion, consonance, assonance
________________________________________________________________________
Week 3: Poetry and (Im)permanence
Terms: Trope, tone, ekphrasis, ode
Mon, Apr 14
- John Keats, selected poems, especially” “Ode on a Grecian Urn”; Patricia Lockwood, “The Ode on a Grecian Urn” (course reader)
- Listen to Kamran Javadizadeh and Michelle Williams discuss Lockwood’s poem on Close Readings (start at 32:00 to hear Lockwood’s reading)
Recommended: Read the guide to Keats’s “Ode on a Grecian Urn” (online);
Wed, Apr 16
- Srikanth Reddy, “Corruption,” Walt Whitman, “This Compost”
- Read Andrew Wessels’s close reading of “Corruption” (here)
- Due: RP 2
______________________________________________________________________________
Week 4: American Innovators
Mon, Apr 21
- Walt Whitman, selections from “Song of Myself,” “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry;” Allen Ginsberg; "A Supermarket in California"
- Recommended: Whitman, preface to the first edition of "Leaves of Grass" (1855)
Wed, Apr 23
- Emily Dickinson, selected poems; Robert Frost, “Mending Wall,” “The Road Not Taken”
- Due: Due: RP 3
______________________________________________________________________________
Week 5: Modernism, song, and image
Mon, Apr 28
- T. S. Eliot, “The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock,” "The Preludes"; Ezra Pound, “A Retrospect & A Few Don’ts,”
- Due: Draft or Prewriting for Paper 1
Wed, Apr 30
- Langston Hughes, Selected poems, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain”
- Recommended music: Listen to Henry Thomas, "Texas Worried Blues"; Charlie Parker, "Bebop,"
_____________________________________________________________________________
Week 6: Poetry and Art
Mon, May 5
· W. H. Auden, selected poems, especially “Museé Des Beaux Arts,” William Carlos Williams, “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus”; View Breughel's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,"
Wed, May 7
- Frank O’Hara, selected poems, especially “Why I Am Not a Painter,” “Having a Coke With You,” “The Day Lady Died,” view Michael Goldberg's painting "Sardines"
- Read analyses of “Why I Am Not a Painter” on the Modern American Poetry website
- Watch a video of O’Hara reading “Having a Coke With You”
- Due: Paper 1
______________________________________________________________________________
Week 7: Poetry and War
Mon, May 12
- William Butler Yeats, biography (online) and selected poems (course reader), especially "Easter, 1916," "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death;” Wilfred Owen, “Dulce et Decorum Est”; Muriel Rukeyser, "Poem (I lived in the first century of world wars)"
Wed, May 14
- Pablo Neruda biography (online) and selected poems (course reader); Javier Zamora, selected poems, listen to Javier Zamora read “El Salvador”
- *Suggested further reading: Mark Eisner, "What We Can Learn From Neruda's Poetry of Resistance"
- Due: RP4 (As discussion post and reply)
______________________________________________________________________________
Week 8: Poetry and Protest
Mon, May 19
- Audre Lorde, “Poetry Is Not a Luxury” and selected poems; Gwendolyn Brooks, “A Song in the Front Yard,” “The Last Quatrain of the Ballad of Emmett Till”; Morgan Parker (selections.
- Listen to Audre Lorde reading “Echoes”
Wed, May 21
- Juliana Spahr, “Dynamic Positioning,” “Tradition;” Craig Santos Perez, “SPAM’s Carbon Footprint”)
- Begin Solmaz Sharif, Look (pp. 1-32)
- Listen to Spahr read “Dynamic Positioning” on Pennsound (start at 3:30)
- Listen to Santos Perez read “SPAM’s Carbon Footprint”
- Listen to Solmaz Sharif read "Look"
- Due: RP5: Submit as discussion post
______________________________________________________________________________
Week 9: Contemporary Focus: Solmaz Sharif
Mon, May 26: No Class
Wed, May 28
- Solmaz Sharif, Look (pp. 33-61)
- Read David Baker’s review of Look
- Due by Friday: Draft of Paper 2
______________________________________________________________________________
Week 10: Solmaz Sharif (Continued)
Mon, June 2
- In-Class Peer Review
- Solmaz Sharif, Look (pp. 62-end)
- Watch Sharif reading "Look"
- Excerpt from Carolyn Forché, Introduction to Against Forgetting
Wed, June 4
- “The Role of the Poet, An Interview with Solmaz Sharif”
- Final discussion of Sharif, Look
______________________________________________________________________________
Exam Week: No Class
Final Paper DUE by Wed, June 11