Student Poetry Shows

When I finished my Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago and scored a teaching job at Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, MO (more on that in the teaching memoir English Infinity at Booneslick CC), I brought lessons I learned as a member of the Chicago Poetry Ensemble. Learning how to put on a poetry performance (see chapters from my poetry textbook) is, to me, just as important as learning how to write a sonnet, and learning to collaborate is perhaps more important.

I arranged the semester so students had two weeks to put together a show. We shaped the show from solo pieces as well work that could be arranged polyvocally.

I divided the class into groups which were responsible for putting together polyvocal pieces and create poetry videos. Frequently there were musicians in class, so we worked out polyvocal pieces set to original music. The shows were 40 minutes to an hour and were often joyous. Student art is a joy forever. Below is a collage of programs from 22 years of student shows.