The Spark—poem generation workshop

Talking it Up: Using found speech in poetry

Thursday, May 16, 1-3 pm EDT (6-8 pm UK).

In this workshop, we’ll look at ways to use words spoken by other people as the heart or start of a poem.

We usually assume that the words of a poem come from our own imagination and ideas—but what if they came from someone else? And what if those words started out not as writing, but as talk?

Talk has rhythms, authenticity, and surprise that can add energy to any poem, especially ones where you want to show someone’s character or personality. But other people’s talk is also an excellent way into vital but difficult topics, like war and politics, that you may really want to write about but lack personal experience. In addition, it’s a great way to document a current issue, through making poetry out of interviews.

So, whether you want to write about events on the world stage or topics closer to home, learning how to base a poem around words that someone else has spoken is a powerful tool to have in your pocket.

In the workshop, we will go through a step-by-step process for turning someone’s spoken words into a poem. We will look at different options for the kind of poem you produce, from political to personal, using examples from poets like Alice Oswald and Carolyn Forché. You’ll come away with the draft of a poem, ideas for more, and a new understanding of how to make other people’s talk work for your poetry.

Optional Preparation for the Workshop:

As part of the class, I will give you examples of other people’s speech that you can work with to make a poem. However, if there is a topic you would especially like to write about, you are welcome to bring along some spoken words relevant to that topic. For example:

• If you’d like to write about a family member, you could record a conversation with them, then transcribe some of it into written form.

• If you want to tackle a subject that’s in the news, you could write down snippets of talk about it from TV news, podcasts, or videos.

• And if there’s something you want to document, like a hot issue in your local area, you could even conduct one or two interviews and again transcribe some of it.

You don’t need to bring a ton of material—a page would be plenty!

Included in the workshop are:

• Example poems to learn from

• Discussion of various approaches to using found speech for poetry

• Detailed guidance on several elements of voice and how to use them

• Writing time

• Brief feedback.

Places are limited to 12 people.