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Summer 2018: Iron Poet Challenge

Saturdays, July 14 & 28, August 4 & 11 10:00 a.m. to noon Instructor: Neil Aitken for writers at all levels Limited to 10 students Class meets at Literary Arts,

$165.00

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Saturdays, July 14 & 28, August 4 & 11
10:00 a.m. to noon

Instructor: Neil Aitken
for writers at all levels
Limited to 10 students

Class meets at Literary Arts, 925 SW Washington

Looking for an interesting summer challenge? The Iron Poet Challenge is an 8 week workshop that challenges participants each week to write in a different form (sestina, sonnet, ghazal, pantoum, etc) with a set of randomly chosen constraints and/or ingredients to make things interesting.

Each week we’ll split our time between covering the upcoming week’s chosen form and its history, traditions, cultural context, and contemporary re-imaginings (sample poems), and workshopping each participant’s efforts to tackle the previous week’s form and challenge.

Each week of this class brings a different challenge which has a formal element, a limited set of “ingredients,” and one other unexpected constraint. Participants will practice different skills and gain experience in different forms. The class is generative but includes time for workshop and getting feedback on poems. At the end of four weeks, dedicated participants will come away with drafts of 4-6 new poems, and beginnings of several others.

Neil Aitken is the author of two books of poetry, The Lost Country of Sight (Anhinga), which won the Philip Levine Prize, and Babbage’s Dream (Sundress), as well as a chapbook of poetry, Leviathan (Hyacinth Girl Press). He is the founding editor of Boxcar Poetry Review and his own poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The Adroit Journal, American Literary Review, Southern Poetry Review, and many other literary journals.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE: Scholarships pay for the entire class tuition. All of our writing classes have at least one scholarship position available, made possible by a generous gift from Dennis Steinman. To apply, email Susan Moore, Director of Programs for Writers, at susan@literary-arts.org with your name, contact information. In addition, list three classes in order of preference, why you would like to request a scholarship, and if you have taken a Literary Arts class before. Please note that preference is not guaranteed. All scholarships are subject to availability. Scholarship availability is confirmed 1-2 weeks before the class begins.

CLASS LIAISONS: All classes have one liaison position. Liaisons receive free tuition in exchange for light duties before and after each class meeting.