Forge a Stronger Poetic Voice: Join "The Deep Roots of English Poetry" Workshop
Dear Subscriber,
I'm delighted to announce a new, intensive, 9-week online poetry workshop: "The Deep Roots of English Poetry: A Craft Workshop."
Ezra Pound once famously advised a young W.S. Merwin to "read roots, not twigs." This workshop is built on that very philosophy. While it's vital to engage with our contemporaries, I've found that the strongest poets are those deeply familiar with the rich history of their language's poetry. Such a familiarity allows them to draw from an unparalleled wellspring of technique and inspiration.
This class is your invitation to dig deeper, to build that bedrock for your own voice. We'll journey through the very foundations of English poetry, dissecting masterpieces from Old English riddles to Victorian dramatic monologues. We'll unearth the techniques that made these poems timeless, not as academic exercises, but as living tools for your own craft.
I dedicated many years to studying the history of English poetry, which is stranger and more interesting than many people are aware of. My studies have been of inestimable help in providing inspiration and models for my own work. Our goal in this class is to help you find inspiration and models of your own.
What to Expect:
Each week, we'll immerse ourselves in a different period of English poetry. Before we meet, I’ll send out materials for you to review, including five carefully selected poems (four from the actual period, and one more modern piece demonstrating the enduring power of those techniques). At the beginning of each session, I'll provide a focused 25 minute lecture on the period's unique characteristics, influences, and the specific poetic tools we'll explore.
Then, the real work begins: you'll write an original poem each week, directly inspired by the forms, themes, and techniques we've just uncovered. We'll spend the final hour of our class time workshopping your poems in a supportive, rigorous environment of just 6 participants. This isn't about imitation; it's about internalizing the past to forge a stronger, stranger, more surprising, and more rooted present voice.
Our 9-Week Journey Includes:
Week 1: Old English & the Art of Description: Crafting Anglo-Saxon-style riddles, the “word-hoard”, and mastering alliteration and kennings to sharpen your descriptive power.
Week 2: Middle English & the Journey Within: Exploring Chaucer, internal rhymes, and layered sound devices to reveal deeper psychological motivations.
Week 3: Early Modern & the Expressive Syllable: Thomas Wyatt, the introduction of the sonnet, and making rhythm expressive as we explore what's been lost or left behind.
Week 4: Ballads, Weirdness & Rich Language: Shakespeare, "Mad Tom of Bedlam," and cultivating unbounded imagination through textured language.
Week 5: Neoclassical & the Elegant Weapon: Pope and Johnson, social commentary in couplets, and wielding poetry like a scathing, elegant weapon.
Week 6: Dialect, Home & the Roots of Voice: Robert Burns, John Clare, and exploring your own regional dialect or the unique words from where you grew up.
Week 7: Romantics & Meditative Insight: Keats' Odes, Wordsworth, Coleridge, weaving rich description with philosophical depth.
Week 8: Victorian & the Persona: Robert Browning's dramatic monologues, and giving voice to characters beyond your own experience – a crucial skill in today's world.
Week 9: Our capstone session, dedicated to a final workshop and review.
A Lasting Resource:
Beyond our 9 weeks, all participants will receive an exclusive 2-3 year self-study Google Doc guide, meticulously outlining a further journey through English poetry history. This is your roadmap to continued, independent exploration, ensuring your learning doesn't stop when the workshop ends.
Logistics:
When: 9 weekly sessions, Wednesdays, starting July 9th 4:30 PST.
Where: Live Online via Zoom .
Class Size: Limited to just 6 participants for truly personalized feedback.
Investment: $400 for the full 9-week workshop and self-study guide.
Optional: Early Bird Offer: Sign up by June 28th and pay just $350!
This is an opportunity to cultivate a deeper foundation for your craft, learn directly from the greatest minds in English poetry, and develop a more surprising and powerful voice. If you're serious about your poetic journey, I urge you to consider joining.
To Learn More & Reserve Your Spot:
Reply to this email or email me directly at michaelbattisto@gmail.com.
Spots will fill quickly due to the small class size, so don't delay.
I look forward to delving into the richness of English poetry with you.
Warmly,
Michael Battisto
Michaelbattisto.com
Michaelbattisto.substack.com
IG: mbattisto
