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<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Dear MFAs,<BR><BR>Please see Professor Chris Abani's
syllabus below.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Best,</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Andrew</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Graduate Poetry Workshop
Syllabus. Spring 2008. Prof. Abani<BR><B>Obscurity and The Veil of
Meaning.<BR></B><BR>“Lyric obscurity is a fact, perhaps the only fact divulged
by a poem”<BR>Daniel Tiffany.<BR> <BR>This workshop is designed to present
the student with the opportunity to become a more nuanced reader, of his or her
own work and of the work of other writers (some of whom maybe also be in the
workshop). The belief is that we become better writers only after we become
better readers. With that in mind we will attempt a series of exercises and
readings, combined with the usual peer workshop approach, to achieve this craft
of nuanced reading. As writers we find ourselves often locked into our own
unique language of expression and yet we seldom find the distance to examine,
analyze and gain perspective on these languages, much less achieve the ability
to expand, explore, rearrange and when necessary change them. We will come to
terms with the obscurity and even opaqueness of these languages and ask true
questions about how much they can and even should reveal. This will help us
contain meaning within our work, while solving the paradox of simultaneously
moving beyond it. We will hopefully learn the relationship between
obscurity and the poem, and also explore the paradigm of being and identity as
obscurity. <BR>Each student must read the chapters of M.M. Bakhtin that are
given by the professor. They will discuss these in detail and be able to apply
the ideas raised by Bakhtin to their own work and the work of their
classmates.<BR> <BR>Requirements:<BR> <BR>1. Each
student must bring to class 3 poems of their own that they want to work on.
There should be enough copies for everyone one in class, including the
professor. The numbers can be found on GROWL. These must be hard copies, and in
12-point font, except where the font and layout are integral to the poems
aesthetic thrust.<BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">2. Over
the course of the workshop, those three poems will be revised to take into
account ideas and suggestions raised in class and then resubmitted to classmates
and the professor.<BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">3. Each
student will be expected to complete 3 poems each during the quarter based on
the ideas raised in class. Those poems will be submitted by the sixth week to
the whole class, and any revisions should be submitted to the professor before
the final day of instruction (see academic calendar). One of these poems must be
in jargon – more explanation will be offered in
class.<BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">4.
Students will work in groups of 3 or more to solve a selection
of the Exeter Riddles. To make this work, please do not read or research these
riddles in advance of class.<BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">5.
Students will work in groups of 2 to make 2-minute silent
movies around ideas generated in workshop.<BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT
size=4><FONT face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">We will discuss the work in
relation to staging, architecture, meaning, obscurity and
subjectivity.<BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=5><FONT
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