English 166 - Summer Sessions II, 2023

Love & Desire in Contemporary American Poetry

Class Information

Instructor: Dunkle, Iris Jamahl
CRN: 74015
Time: TWR 2:10-3:50
Location: 1130 Bainer
GE Areas: American Cultures, Governance, and History Writing Experience

Description

This course will explore the themes of love and desire as portrayed by diverse contemporary poets. We will look at love and desire both as an inward and outward yearning as both an erotic and platonic expression. After first exploring earlier models put forward by Sappho, Amy Lowell, and H.D., we will then turn to the work of Brenda Hillman and C.D. Wright to explore their individual poems and their friendship. In the final weeks, we will look at the work of Gillian Conoley and Brian Teare.

Grading

Daily, low-stakes in-class writing exercises, two papers, and a final.

Texts

Loose Sugar, Brenda Hillman
NOTES FROM THE PASSENGER, GILLIAN CONOLEY
Doomstead Days, Brian Teare
ShallCross, C.D. Wright