Interdisciplinary Arts 0248 - Dreams, Metaphors & Other Rebe

How does writing the dream alter language and/or how we expect language to behave? Might the dream be a painting or a gift or a found object? How is metaphor a kind of rebellion? And how might these practices be(come) routes to possibility? In this course, we will explore these questions and the ways that dreams, metaphors, and poem-making (in general) can meaningfully challenge and stretch the conventions of our saying and seeing. Students will participate in writing experiments in and out of class, and will also be expected to: keep a dream and writing journal; contribute poems for class workshop; provide critical, thoughtful feedback in response to the work of their peers; study works by artists such as Helene Cixous ("The School of Dreams"), Lucille Clifton, Elizabeth Alexander, Jean Valentine, Alberto Rios, and Fanny Howe. Over the course of the semester, students will generate and revise new work, while developing a portfolio of original poems and presenting a creative statement on their writing routes and/or practices. Eligible students should be committed to deepening their practice as creative (live!) readers, writers, and community members. Prerequisite: Eligible students will have completed one college-level creative writing workshop.

Arts, Design, and Media Independent Work In this course, students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time. This time includes reading, writing, and research.