“Lines that Bind: Using Constraints and Experiments to Generate Poems” with Rochelle Hurt and Linwood Rumney
Saturday, Nov. 15, 2:30-3:45pm (Session F5)
Above: Photo (taken by Rochelle Hurt) from A Humument: A Human Document (a treated Victorian novel) by Tom Phillips
In this session, we will explore experimental methods of writing poetry inherited from Oulipo and Surrealist practices. After an overview of formal exercises with erasures, centos, exquisite corpse, palindromes, univocalism, and homophonic translation, we will examine how these exercises can develop into meaningful poetry. Using published examples as guides, participants will then generate their own material from interactive experimental prompts.
Who should attend?
Anyone interested in learning about and trying out different approaches to writing poems.
What can attendees expect from your workshop?
We’ll introduce Oulipo and Surrealist techniques, manipulating texts to make new poems.
Name one fun fact or bit of trivia about this session:
We’ll compose a group cento!
Quick! Summarize the benefits of this workshop in 10 words or fewer:
We’ll investigate assumptions about what “writing” means.
Any last words?
“Beauty will be CONVULSIVE or will not be at all.” –from Surrealist André Breton’s novel Nadja
The countdown to Winter Wheat 2014 has officially begun! In these final weeks leading up to the event, we’re giving our presenters some space here on the blog to share additional details about their sessions, so be sure to check back for more previews. (Remember, this year’s Winter Wheat is bigger and better than ever — see this sessions list for proof.) For more information on the conference, which takes place Nov. 13-15 on the campus of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, visit the Winter Wheat site.