Documentary Poetry: Course Calendar and Daily Assignments
* Note: This unit is part of a larger course titled: “Good Grief!: Death, Grief, and the Politics of Mourning.” The “Documentary Poetry” unit follows a 4-week introduction to the course.
Week 5: What is Documentary Poetry?
Tuesday, 9/22 “The Cry of the Children” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“Believer” by Natasha Tretheway
“Hope: Living and Loving with HIV in Jamaica” and “Voices from Haiti” by Kwame Dawes
In Class Activity: Tossing Lines
Thursday, 9/24 Coal Mountain Elementary: “First Lesson”: 2-66.
In Class Activity: Coal Mountain Elementary performance activity
Week 6: Memorialization through Documentation: Poetry, Image, and Narrative
Tuesday, 9/28 Coal Mountain Elementary: “Second Lesson”: 67-135.
Zero Draft for Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Reader's Circle and Zero Draft Workshop
Thursday, 10/1 Coal Mountain Elementary: “Third Lesson”: 136-174 and “Coda”: 175-178.
Research for Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Physical Depiction
Week 7: The Politics of Mourning: What Makes a Life Grievable?
Tuesday, 10/6 Selections from Muriel Rukeyser’s Book of the Dead
“Children 3” by Charles Reznikoff
Rough Draft of Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Reader's Circle AND Rough Draft Workshop
Thursday, 10/8 Synocopated Sonnets by Jess
“Domestic Work” by Natasha Tretheway
In Class Activity: Vocalization Circle
Week 8: Micro-Aggression, Violence, and Grief
Tuesday, 10/13 Citizen (1-37), watch Serena Williams “Crip Walk” on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqxo05tMVP4.
Polished Draft of Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Close Reading Lesson AND Polished Draft Workshop
Thursday, 10/15 Citizen (38-97), watch “Situation 5” on http://claudiarankine.com/.
In Class Activity: Soliloquy
Week 8: Vigilance through Documentation
Tuesday, 10/20 Citizen (98-162), watch “Situation 7” on http://claudiarankine.com/.
In Class Activity: Close Reading Lesson
Thursday, 10/22 Final Draft of Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Gallery Presentation / Celebration of Documentary Poems
Week 5: What is Documentary Poetry?
Tuesday, 9/22 “The Cry of the Children” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“Believer” by Natasha Tretheway
“Hope: Living and Loving with HIV in Jamaica” and “Voices from Haiti” by Kwame Dawes
In Class Activity: Tossing Lines
Thursday, 9/24 Coal Mountain Elementary: “First Lesson”: 2-66.
In Class Activity: Coal Mountain Elementary performance activity
Week 6: Memorialization through Documentation: Poetry, Image, and Narrative
Tuesday, 9/28 Coal Mountain Elementary: “Second Lesson”: 67-135.
Zero Draft for Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Reader's Circle and Zero Draft Workshop
Thursday, 10/1 Coal Mountain Elementary: “Third Lesson”: 136-174 and “Coda”: 175-178.
Research for Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Physical Depiction
Week 7: The Politics of Mourning: What Makes a Life Grievable?
Tuesday, 10/6 Selections from Muriel Rukeyser’s Book of the Dead
“Children 3” by Charles Reznikoff
Rough Draft of Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Reader's Circle AND Rough Draft Workshop
Thursday, 10/8 Synocopated Sonnets by Jess
“Domestic Work” by Natasha Tretheway
In Class Activity: Vocalization Circle
Week 8: Micro-Aggression, Violence, and Grief
Tuesday, 10/13 Citizen (1-37), watch Serena Williams “Crip Walk” on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqxo05tMVP4.
Polished Draft of Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Close Reading Lesson AND Polished Draft Workshop
Thursday, 10/15 Citizen (38-97), watch “Situation 5” on http://claudiarankine.com/.
In Class Activity: Soliloquy
Week 8: Vigilance through Documentation
Tuesday, 10/20 Citizen (98-162), watch “Situation 7” on http://claudiarankine.com/.
In Class Activity: Close Reading Lesson
Thursday, 10/22 Final Draft of Documentary Poem Due
In Class Activity: Gallery Presentation / Celebration of Documentary Poems