Monday   

The philosophy behind this course is simple: we appreciate poetry best when we examine it closely, with other attentive readers. Our community combines returning members, working poets, and poetry lovers with diverse life experiences. Although this is our seventh semester together, every semester we welcome new members to our group because they bring fresh perspectives. And you are welcome to simply “listen in” if you’re not sure how to talk about poetry: you will quickly learn! Over the course of our eight meetings together we will work to fully understand poems written in the English language from the Renaissance to today. You will learn what to look for in old and new poems to appreciate different poetic styles. Emphasis will be placed on hearing diverse voices from various times, places, and standpoints: some famous, some contemporary, some recently rediscovered. We will read poems out loud while practicing our scansion skills, noting patterns of sound and rhythm. We will tease out possible interpretations of metaphors. We will discuss the historical and biographical context that frames each poet and poem. Why are some poems read over and over, delighting generations of readers? Why are some considered landmarks of social change? What do you enjoy in a poem?

This class will be taught in a Group Discussion style on Zoom. Members will be provided with copies of poems and supporting materials in advance of class through email. They will be encouraged to share their discoveries about each poem, while remaining open to contributions from other group members. Our goal will be to work towards a richer understanding of each poem together.

Together we will embark on learning the basics of Massachusetts Native Wild Birds. We will start with our introduction and meet my copilot, Coco the Red Tailed Hawk. We will also discuss the distinctions and habits of songbirds, raptors, waterfowl, gamebirds, and shorebirds. We will discuss diseases, zoonotics, poisons, and most importantly how to keep our wild birds safe.

From the Garden of Eden to the Salem witch trials and the 1980s “Satanic Panic,” humans have blamed misdeeds on the Devil. But where did the idea of the devil come from? Did the ancient Israelites believe in such a being? Is Lucifer the same as the Devil? Did Jesus believe in hell? This course traces the evolution of the idea of the Devil from Zoroastrian and Jewish roots through Christianity and Islam, exploring figures like the adversary in Job and the dragon in Revelation. We’ll see how European folklore and writers such as Milton shaped his image, and how “the Devil” still haunts modern American political rhetoric.

This class is an opportunity to develop your creative writing skills; you may decide to write short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or any other creative genre that appeals to you.  The class will be taught in a workshop format; each week, we’ll read works written by class participants and give them feedback on their work.  As the instructor facilitates the discussion, you’ll gain insight into key elements of creative writing, including sensory detail, pacing, characterization, dialogue, and the use of scenes as the building blocks of narrative. 

In addition to having the opportunity to read and learn from each other’s work, you’ll be provided with a guide to creative writing, available at https://tinyurl.com/w4yt4juy.