A single poem can be an ecstatic encounter with what Rudolf Otto called the mysterium tremendum. In this five-week seminar we will study sublime examples by Hopkins, Blake, Brigit Pegeen Kelly, and other classic and contemporary poets. Brief in-class writing with prompts and lively open discussion will deepen our own work and aim to bring us closer to that oceanic awe found in poetry alone.
Leslie Williams’ most recent of three poetry collections is Matters for You Alone (Slant Books, 2024), just longlisted for the Massachusetts Book Awards. Her work has appeared in Poetry, The Southern Review, Image, Verse Daily, Kenyon Review, America, and elsewhere. Honors include the Bellday Prize and the Poetry Society of America’s Robert Winner Award.
