August Workshop: Dr. Williams

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ShadowedAcolyte
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Why Williams?

ikazon explains: "William Carlos Williams's poetry was and continues to be meaningful because of his attention to concrete detail. There is little uncertainty when it comes to his writing; each image is presented plainly, clearly, and without room for confusion. Because of how straightforward the language of his writing is, his work is easy to consume, but also striking in its directness."

Why concrete?

Even Dr. Williams used abstractions in his work (ikazon notes that his most anthologized poem starts with "So much depends upon", a phrase never fully explained). What we can learn from his poetry, though, is the power inherent in concrete language; it reaches the reader in a way abstractions do not. And that's what this workshop is all about.

Suggested Poems



Useful Links



:iconwriters-workshop:


:new:More submissions added!
:new:Submissions ready for workshopping are below. It's time for all of us to read and comment. New submissions are still welcomed!

This month's Writer's Workshop focuses on concrete language in poetry, and specifically on the work of Dr. William Carlos Williams, an important modernist writer.

The Workshop Brief

This workshop will challenge you to write a short poem using primarily concrete language (language that describes things that can be experienced in the physical world with the senses, as opposed to abstract concepts like "love" or "sadness"). Williams summed up the importance of concrete language in a phrase he repeated often in his work: "No ideas but in things." This workshop is all about writing concrete, clear, and striking poetry.

Workshop Rules

  • First, read a good amount of Williams's poetry (links to the right); it's up to you how much that is, but the more, the better
  • Write a poem influenced by Williams's style
  • Your piece must be a poem of no more than 15 lines
  • Your poem must not use any words for abstract concepts or ideas
  • You must include a link to this journal in your Artist's Comments


How to Submit

A gallery folder will be open for submissions starting August 19th, and pieces should be submitted before the 21st. Your piece will go through a voting system to check it is applicable to this workshop, so stating so in your artists comments is essential! Please note that we ONLY accept submissions for the current workshop and only members can submit to our folders.

What Happens Next

You have between now and August 18th to work on your submission to the workshop. Late submissions will be accepted; however, we cannot guarantee your piece will be read by others. On August 21st, this journal will be refreshed with the submissions to this workshop. We expect members, especially fellow participants, to take some time to read the pieces and offer feedback and thoughts on their pieces.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in this journal!


Submissions

this unrequited loveToday again,
bleeding fingers
and empty hands.
Oh, the ungrateful thing!
The battered green couch,
soft fabric stained with clumps
of dirt-grey hair, torn cushions,
scratched feet –
the overturned bowls
on the kitchen floor –
the open window
and the empty flat.
Oh, the silence...! To a Curbside Womanstretching her legs over
the sidewalk beneath the
overpass, ankles crossed,
feet wearing dirt like socks
but her dress feels like silk,
and her hands hold each
other like puzzle pieces
This is enough for her
This is enough
for her This is
enough for her :thumb473837701: To someone who was gone even thenThere was never a day
where the sun was shining
that I did not picture
someone else's smile

:thumb476951994: Old Parking LotIn the parking lot
padded thickly with snow:
a worn pink sock,
its crooked smile
drawn with marker
surrounded
by icy valleys, pockmarks,
footprints from the crushing
of unseeing boots The Man in the NightA man walks through the street
The only light around is
His cigarette
He inhales deeply
The gun protrudes slightly
Through the cloth of his
Back pocket
Just the slightest red smudge
Stains his immaculate suit


Journal designed and coded by kuschelirmel-stock with textures from lebstock
© 2014 - 2024 ShadowedAcolyte
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ArthurTheBraveOne's avatar
ArthurTheBraveOne
Welp, it turns out I'm horrible at remembering these things. Ended up writing a piece after all, sorry I'm so late! Not expecting to get any critique after all that, but I just sent it up for approval and will try to look at some of the other entries today :)