Queer poetics: new approaches to your poems

What is the course about?

Throughout history, queer writers have challenged our understanding of poetry and re-imagined what the poem can do. Walt Whitman, Audre Lorde, Emily Dickinson, Adrienne Rich, Ginsberg, Lorca, Baldwin, Basho; different philosophies, contexts, disruptions. If you are interested in experimenting with new approaches to your writing, discovering queer poets of the past and their contemporaries today, and sparking fresh ideas for your own poems, this course is for you.

What will we cover?

Drawing on a wide range of poetry, in-class writing exercises and discussion, we will explore understanding and writing poems from a range of perspectives; the poem as a weapon, a witness, a side-effect, a salve. We will listen to poets like Melvin Dixon, Frank O’Hara, Danez Smith and Caroline Bird talk about their approaches to going down the plughole of a poem and experiment with different ways of writing exciting, original poetry.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

By the end of the course you will have improved your knowledge of key queer poets past and present and their approaches to writing. You will have developed insights into new techniques for understanding and creating poetry. And you will have written the beginnings of at least three new pieces of poetry.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is open to poets of all levels and abilities.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Tutor-led discussion, small-group discussion, participating in writing exercises in-class, workshop readings, tutor feedback and class discussion.

City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Please bring material for writing.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

City Lit has a range of poetry courses at different levels, from our introductory Ways into poetry to our Advanced poetry workshop. You may also be interested in Queering characterisation: writing LGBTQIA+ characters.

All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Bluesky.