Introduction to Poetry Writing · English And Comparative Literature
♥♥♥ Oh, Saskia Hamilton. You are too nice for your own good. No, really -- she can *always* come up with something nice to say about people's poetry. Luckily, she can also be really insightful about it, otherwise it would get really cloying really fast. I could have done with a little more bluntness, but I have a really thick skin when it comes to criticism of my writing. Once you decide to ignore her kindness and focus on the content of her remarks, she can be a useful critic, and is a delightful person to chat with.
Very reasonable--some recommended but not required reading for each class. Also, every other week each student posts a poem for the rest of the class to read and critique, and every other week a commentary on a piece of published poetry.
Professor Hamilton is amazing. She is so brilliant and kind and takes a genuine interest in each student's work. She also takes time each semester to meet individually with every student just to chat--about poetry advice or anything else. Her classes are really casual and fun, but we always got stuff done. Definitely take a class with this wonderful professor if you can, regardless of your knowledge of poetry (she also teaches classes that don't involve actually writing poetry, if that's not your thing). She is truly one of the treasures of the Barnard English department.
a poem or short response to a poem every week. a very small amount of memorization. some poetry exercises. have to attend Barnard poetry readings and either write an introduction to one or a review of the reading.
Prof. Hamilton is an incredibly kind, intelligent, thoughtful teacher. The critiques (and class discussions) are useful and direct. The exercises and assignments that she gives truly are helpful in improving your writing, not just busywork. Finally, she respects her students' work. It's a wonderful class. She's a wonderful professor.
Print out and critique others' poems weekly. Hand in a poem every other week and a concise essay every other week, some readings, attend Barnard poets readings (sounds like a pain but is awesome) with the opportunity to introduce a poet at one of them, memorize a couple poems. Obviously, since these are workshops, participation is crucial.
Prof. Hamilton gives great feedback, and what's more, you respect her so much for being awesome, talented, and unpretentiously scholarly, that you take her criticisms to heart and put them to practice. You get the sense that she respects you immensely for what you do, and you respect her in turn. As a previous reviewer said, she is very laid back, which sometimes makes the class dynamic take over too strongly in terms of discussion: I too wished the contributions had been more equal. Despite this (and partially because of it) Prof. Hamilton creates an open environment that is perfect for emerging writers. The best thing about Prof. Hamilton's classes is that she wants you to come at poetry as a WRITER and not as an analyst, which is not always the case with workshops at a high-achieving school like ours (I speak from experience). This is not a contest to see who can make the most references in critiquing someone's poem or writing an essay, but a place to become vulnerable and grow, if you are ready to do that. It is about honest and simple observation and evaluation. Essays, readings, memorizations, are all geared to help you discover something about yourself as a writer. On a personal note, she is more than willing to be there for students who are having a rough time, with poetry or whatever else. Saskia Hamilton is, in short, incredible. Do not miss your chance to take a cla…