CAM Studio Course All Levels Poetry Master Class with Caroline Harvey

Caroline Harvey, former Professor of Poetry at Berklee College of Music and co-owner of Dogtown Books in Gloucester, presents an 8-week course for poets and writers- those just beginning, those returning home to their craft, and those with previous experience as wordsmiths. An open gateway into a dynamic and authentic personal voice, this course introduces fundamental tools to help students engage confidently with both the content and the form of their writing. The course will use techniques designed to guide students deeply into the subjects that matters to them most, and assist them in becoming adept at amplifying their ideas through the skilled use of line endings, rhythm, sonics, powerful imagery and metaphor.

With poetry prompts drawn from visual art, music, local history and memory, and positive, productive discussions about the writings made in class, students will find themselves creatively thriving in a supportive and liberated environment. Along the way, students will examine poems from a variety of genres, including many drawn fro the CAM Library & Archives, and will explore an intercultural understanding of the written and spoken word, expanding their notions of what a successful poem can be. The course will address the duality of creating and editing and, perhaps most importantly, learn to respect the writing process without unnecessarily choking on self-criticism. By the end of the course, each student will: take home a manuscript of original poetry; rejoice in their improved strength and innovation as a writer and a reader of poetry; and have a robust toolkit to continue building their own writer’s life as imaginative and skillful artists of word.

Passionate about telling stories of creative survival, Caroline has been touring internationally as a poet, educator, and activist for over 15 years. Locally, their work has been commissioned by The Cape Ann Museum, The Essex County Community Foundation, and Harborlight Community Partners, and they served on the Board of The Gloucester Writers Center. To learn more, visit: https://caroline-harvey.com/.