Poetry Show & Tell

Often cited as one of the most critical "rules" for writing well is the idiom "show, don't tell." While there's immeasurable value to be gleaned from this pithy directive, poems of excellence will evidence—in any number of imaginative ways—that it is actually the relationship between concrete and abstract language that offers readers the emotional, intellectual and sensorial returns on their investments in the words on the page. Such a balance, however, does not require an even distribution between language that animates and language that describes. Rather, like any great rustic Italian dish, such a vital balance is achieved through proportion. Lines of verse can be well-crafted and satisfy whether they're heavy in notions or particulars; it is only in how language is contextually devised—how lines of verse are crafted in relation to the uniqueness of a poem's form, texture and tone—that we feel nourished by its balance. In this weekly drop-in class, we'll observe, discuss and deconstruct the delicate art of showing and telling and celebrate the nuanced power this equilibrium holds to make all the difference between a good poem and a purposeful work of literary art. Designed to be a reading and writing instruction class, we'll immerse ourselves in masterful works that exhibit how a poem successfully engages our mind as much as our mind's eye, and we'll muse through exercises that illuminate how the ability to show and tell with finesse serves up the secret sauce that feeds a reader's soul. Sharing will be encouraged but optional. (Note that drop-in classes are not a forum for critique of work; students looking for critique should register for multi-week workshops.)

Host or Publisher Brooklyn Poets