Mentor: Georgia Jones
Poetry is in our nature, to breathe it in and out again; to experience and control that breath that heightens all our senses.
Poetry is often described as either an interior experience, one that reflects the physical and emotional state of the poet, or an exterior one, the experience of nature or society. It is really both and like a handshake or a hug it must also bring the reader and the reader’s experience of the world into this intimate process. We are all poets because we all experience these worlds of our interior and exterior lives, but only some of us learn to reach out with our senses and express that poetry.
In this course we will be starting at the beginning, at your perception of the world, and moving toward a polished poem that combines those four elements that are the essence of the poetic experience: internal observation, external observation, the universal connection between all human feelings and perception, and words. You will not need a special place to accomplish this.
You can work on this course in any quiet place or at any time. The only tools you will need will be a writing instrument and paper. I even prefer that you keep the dictionary at bay until the last lesson in this series.
I would also suggest that you take full advantage of the message and discussion options available to you here. In poetry classes we often find that we are each other’s best resource. Just as each poet is different, for each person taking this course the experience will be different. You will be asked to stop thinking so you can feel, to stop feeling so you can think and to close your eyes so you can see. You will find silence and in that silence you will find your poet’s voice.
COURSE GOALS:
By the end of the four sessions you will be seeing hearing, tasting, smelling and writing more than you ever thought you would… and you will have taken the first steps toward becoming a poet or to refreshing your poetic spirit. This not an environment where I can take your work in my hand and use a pen to massage it into a poem before your eyes, so I suggest that you join the discussion on the bulletin board.
Even then, keep in mind that we are in the world of intangible things and so will be approaching the writing of poetry from a very intangible perspective. We will be working on the essentials of poetry, and will touch only lightly on form and style. In future courses we may take what you learn here and hone those skills to a fine perfection.
ABOUT THE MENTOR:
Georgia Jones is the author of a book on writing, Write What You Know, based on writing workshops she has developed and led since 1995. Write What You Know was described by one reviewer as “a book that can be used and enjoyed by the new writer looking for guidance, or is a book for the seasoned pro in search of a fresh outlook.” Recent topics of classes she has led include: Developing Characters for Fiction Writers, Short Story Writing, Plot Development, Editing, Journals and Memoir Writing.
Georgia's poetry classes usually focus on the goals of the poets in attendance rather than on a specific technique, though she does appreciate and encourage technique in poetry. Georgia Jones has led poetry and writing workshops in such diverse areas and contexts as a peace conference in Israel, online (Women’s Wire®, CompuServe®, and ladybugbooks.com) and a retreat in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.
ABOUT THE WISE WOMAN UNIVERSITY
The Wise Woman University (WWU) is a sacred distance learning environment for the reweaving of the healing cloak of the Ancients. WWU offers women dozens of online classes for personal empowerment the Wise Woman Way.
At the Wise Woman University you will find mentors with women-centered skills pleased to offer their wisdom to you in a format that is lively, interesting, and easily available.
WWU is an online non-accredited distance learning environment, offering courses for personal empowerment and wellbeing. Enrollment is ongoing with each course designed to be completed in four weeks; however you study at your own pace with lifetime access to your course.
Each course consists of four lessons with accompanying assignments and resources. Interaction with your mentor is available through email, online forums, and assignment critique. Once registered, students gain access to a virtual classroom where all course materials reside. The classroom is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that you may log in whenever convenient. There is a 15 day no-questions-asked refund policy, providing the course has not been completed in that time. All courses are $49.95
Once registered, use your Wisewomanbookshop.com username and password to log into your account at www.wisewomanuniversity.org
