Literature taster: poetry
Curious about reading poetry? Join us for this taster session to boost your confidence and whet your appetite for further learning and exploration!
Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 24 Sep 2025End Date: 24 Sep 2025Wed (Daytime): 10:30 - 12:30In PersonFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This in-person taster session course offers you the opportunity to read and discuss a selection of two or three poems in a supportive and friendly group. We will be exploring how poets create meaning and effects through language; the emphasis is on enjoying the imaginative pleasures of the language we will encounter. We will also be deepening our understanding of the themes and concerns of our chosen poems.
What will we cover?
We will look in detail at three poems by John Keats, Alice Oswald and Inua Ellams.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Begin to feel more confident about what is involved in the literary study of poetry.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The level of the course is introductory and no previous knowledge or experience of studying poetry is necessary. Anyone with an interest in discussing poetry is welcome.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
A variety of teaching methods will be used, including brief tutor-led slide presentations, readings of short poems, and class discussion.
A small handout of poems /extracts will be sent to you a few days before the start of the course by the lecturer; you will find it helpful to read these in advance of the session if possible, but it is not essential. A paper copy handout will be provided in class.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please bring a pen and paper for notetaking.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
HLT374 Poetry Reading Group
HLT378 Poetry Reading Group
Look for other poetry courses in our Literature programme under History, Culture and Humanities/Literature/Poetry.
Sophie has taught Literature, Performing Arts and Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities for over twenty years, working for the Open University, Leeds University, and a range of Adult Learning Institutions before joining City Lit. Previously she freelanced as a theatre and opera director in community theatre and at English National Opera. She has an MA in Nineteenth Century English and American Literature, and a PhD in Early Modern Life Writing. She brings both experience and enthusiasm to her work with adult audiences.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.