The main aim of this seminar is to offer practicing poets and critics the opportunity to become immersed in the close reading and discussion of critical essays to gain a strong understanding of the many theories and techniques that underline the construction of poems. Additionally, by studying the art and craft of both canonical and contemporary poets, the students will have frequent opportunities to discuss how poets of various poetic schools and time periods might have influenced one another and how they viewed their role within society, with the idea of deepening our appreciation for poetry as an art form whose roots and traditions are indispensable to a healthy literary culture and to our work as poets today. This seminar will also include a creative component, where the students get to write and discuss their own poems as a way of making theory come alive on the page. All readings are in English. No prerequisites.