CRI Literature: Poetry   

This course will examine mindfulness poems that invite one to be more fully in the moment. They often have a spiritual quality that can resonate deeply. Mary Oliver’s poetry has this aspect. She said once: “Be attentive, be astonished, and tell about it.” Poems of presence are all about opening up to what is within. And in so doing, they serve as a form of meditation that can activate a profound sense of compassion and kindness. Above all, being present is about gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunities that come our way on a daily basis. To make the seeming passing longer lasting in our hearts. The text for the course is: “Poetry of Presence” edited by Phyllis Cole-Dai and Ruby R. Wilson.

In this course, we will examine the work of three great poets of the Victorian period: Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), Emily Brontë (1818-1848), and Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). Their brilliant, wide-ranging work includes splendid poems of love and loss, hymns and expressions of faith, and biting social commentary. All texts will be provided.

Walt Whitman (1819-1892) has been called “America’s Poet,” and for good reason. His poetry is idealistic, democratic (small-d, referring to a system of government “of the people”), ambitious, and sprawling, as was the young nation. And, like America itself, he is a poet of contradictions; despite living during the repressive Victorian age, for one example, he celebrated working-class people and occupations, and the body. “I celebrate myself, and sing myself,” he wrote, unapologetically, and he wrote to future generations—to us—“And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” This course invites you to explore and discuss some of the most enduring portions of his “Leaves of Grass,” whether you are new to Whitman or a long-time fan. Since Whitman published his book 6-9 times, depending on how you count the editions, handouts will be provided for consistency during the class.