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Our idea of the lyric poem developed out of song, and that means having a singer. The contemporary lyric in English is predicated on certain assumptions about who speaks, and/or that the poem will present the experience of a unitary sensibility. But what are we really expecting from the “I” in a poem? When do we identify the speaker with the poet (for better or for worse)? And how can we consider the I and you in a poem not just as imagined persons, but as useful elements of craft?
In this craft lab, we’ll explore a range of contemporary poems—by Jorie Graham, Harryette Mullen, Dorothea Lasky, Dawn Lundy Martin, Emily Skillings and more—to better understand how the idea of a speaker works and how we bring our own sense of the interpersonal world to the page as we read. We’ll observe our tendency to read a poem based on the I-you relationship it suggests, or through our attraction to autobiographical detail. And by writing poems that test these assumptions, we’ll question whether the pronouns that populate the page are as real as we think they are.
All participants will have access to a cloud recording of the craft lab for one month afterward. The recording will be shared within a week following the craft lab.
Closed captions for the event will be available via Zoom. To request additional accommodations or more information, please contact us at bkp@brooklynpoets.org. Note that by attending you agree to abide by our code of conduct below.
Jay Deshpande is the author of Love the Stranger (YesYes Books, 2015), named one of the top debuts of 2015 by Poets & Writers, and the chapbooks The Rest of the Body (YesYes Books) and The Umbrian Sonnets (PANK Books). A 2018–20 Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and the winner of the Scotti Merrill Memorial Award and Narrative’s Annual Poetry Contest, he has also received fellowships from Civitella Ranieri, Kundiman and the Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts. His poems have appeared in Best American Poetry 2021, New England Review, American Poetry Review, Poetry and elsewhere. He holds a BA in English from Harvard, an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, and a Masters in Social Work from NYU. Deshpande has 20 years experience as an educator and has taught at Poets House, the Academy of American Poets, Left Margin Lit, and in the MFA programs at Columbia and Sarah Lawrence. He works for Hawthornden Foundation and is the director of the Brooklyn Poets Mentorship Program.
About our Craft Labs
Our Craft Labs are three-hour webinars offering deep-dives into elements of poetic craft, ranging from formal techniques to approaches to the writing process and revision. These sessions are primarily lecture-based, but often include guided writing activities and end with a Q&A with the instructor. An integral part of our Mentorship Program curriculum, the labs are the only part of the curriculum open to the public. These are open to writers of all backgrounds and experience levels. These are structured as webinars, so attendees will not be on video during the talk but can interact via the chat.
By attending this group you agree to abide by our policies below. Thank you for respecting our community!
Our Policies: Community Agreements, Mask Policy, and Accessibility
Community Agreements
At Brooklyn Poets, we are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive, welcoming and nurturing environment, which allows for mental, emotional and physical well-being, free from intentional harm. We value personal accountability, responsibility and respect for those participating.
We understand that each of us will misstep because we are continuously learning, and we lead with the assumption that others are doing the best they can with the knowledge and experiences they have. We also believe that each of us, individually and collectively, has a responsibility to acknowledge and address behaviors that harm others. We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment or harm based on factors of identity. If harm occurs, we will intervene using a harm-reductionist, transformative justice framework.
To ensure that we are creating and maintaining a space that aligns with our values, we ask that all participants, staff, faculty, board members, collaborators and community members challenge themselves to meet the following principles:
Center community
Show up with an active commitment to move outside of the systems and norms that perpetuate harm, particularly the intersecting systems of oppression and marginalization that cause the most harm to the most vulnerable amongst us. Challenge yourself to listen without defensiveness when others in the community tell you that your actions have caused harm. Create space for learning and repair while giving yourself compassion when your impact does not align with your intent.
Engage with intention
You’ve chosen to be here for a reason, so while you’re here: Listen fully when others are speaking. Speak authentically. Be aware of the space you take up and ensure you’re creating space for others. Make the most of what we can offer each other.
Embrace uncertainty and (principled) discomfort
Remain open to new ideas, methods or approaches, even if they don’t align with your expectations or preferences. Recognize that the work needed to move through tensions, disagreements, complexities and harms in ways that honor a shared commitment to growth often require us to spend time feeling uncertain and uncomfortable.
Respect, affirm and uplift one another
Respect others' perspectives and identities shared with you—including race, cultural background, gender expression and pronouns, sexual orientation, religion, class identity and ability. Don’t make assumptions about anyone’s identity, background or experiences.
Respect your own well-being
Prioritize your own physical, mental and emotional well-being—stretch, eat, drink water, go off camera, take a breath, use the restroom or step outside when needed. Reach out to your instructor, classmates or Brooklyn Poets staff when you need help or support in doing so. If you need accommodations to help you do so, reach out to bkp@brooklynpoets.org.
These principles reflect our collective commitment to creating an environment that acknowledges, supports and values all community members. Individual workshops and other spaces may create additional agreements for collective engagement. If you have an experience to share or a need for mediation, please email feedback@brooklynpoets.org, which will send your message to everyone noted below and is the fastest path to reach us. If you’re more comfortable contacting someone individually, or your experience relates to one of the individuals listed, you can contact anyone listed individually and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Executive Director r. kay: renee@brooklynpoets.org
Board President Eugenia Leigh: eugenia.leigh@gmail.com
Board Vice-President Miller Oberman: miller.oberman@gmail.com
Brooklyn Poets reserves the right to dismiss anyone from our programs (without refund) for actions deemed detrimental to staff, faculty, and/or other participants. This includes but is not limited to making unwanted sexual comments and/or advancements; using misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, and/or racially insensitive language; and aggressive or belligerent behavior.
These community agreements are heavily indebted to our own Transformative Justice work with Community Jewelbox and the following organizations we looked to for inspiration in terms of structure: Cave Canem & Tin House.
Accessibility
Closed captions will be available for the event through the Zoom livestream. For more information and to request additional accommodations, contact us at bkp@brooklynpoets.org.