What is Poetry?

To end the semester, we're revisiting the question, "What is poetry?" Based on their reading and writing this semester of 20th and 21st century poets--including a unit on the poetry of witness, the study of an individual volume of poetry by a poet of their choice, and the visits of several quest writers--students will write their own definitions. I can hardly wait to read them!

Students have just concluded their final project of the semester--a thorough study of an individual volume of poetry by a contemporary poet--and have gotten to know the work of a particular poet in depth. Visit their blogs to read their reflections on work by Margaret Atwood, Eavan Boland, Peter Fallon, Kenneth Koch, Denise Levertov, Audre Lorde, Anne Sexton, and Brian Turner.

Here's a Wordle creates with phrases students offered up to describe what they've learned about poetry in this class: