First-Year Seminar 1020: Georgia Poets

Instructor: Hugh Ruppersburg (English/Dean's Office)

310F New College

2-1561 – hruppers@uga.edu

This semester we will read and discuss works by a selection of Georgia poets. You do not need to buy a textbook for this course.  All the poems we will discuss are included in the WebCT web site for this course. When you log on to WebCT with your UGA MyID, you will see this course listed as one of your choices. You may also purchase from a local bookstore, or from the University of Georgia Press, Georgia Voices: Poetry, which contains many of the same poems. If you use the web site you won't need the book.

 

Aug. 19                                   Introduction

Aug. 26                                   Sidney Lanier

Sept. 2                                     Labor Day

Sept. 9                                     Jean Toomer 

Sept. 16                                   Byron Herbert Reece

Sept. 23                                   James Dickey (commentary due)

Sept. 30                                   Adrienne Bond

Oct. 7                                      Kathryn Stripling Byer

Oct. 14                                    David Bottoms

Oct. 21                                    Judson Mitcham  (commentary due)

Oct. 28                                    Alice Walker

Nov. 4                                     Judith Ortiz Cofer *

Nov. 11                                   Stephen Corey *

Nov. 18                                   Brian Henry *

Nov. 25                                   no class: attend a poetry reading

Dec. 2                                     Pearl Cleage  (commentary due)

 

*  Poet will visit the class.

Attendance: Please attend each class. If you must be absent, send me an e-mail to let me know.

Assignments: Each week, come to class having read the assignment and ready to discuss it. I will ask you to write during the term three 500-word commentaries on one or more poems you have chosen. You may choose from any of the poems on the web site or in the book. The commentary should be typed and can be submitted on paper, by e-mail, or through the web site.

Grade: If you attend the classes, read the assignments, participate in discussions, and turn in the commentaries, you will succeed in the course.

For an overview of Georgia poetry, read the "Introduction to Georgia Poetry" on the web site, or in the book. The web site contains general information about Georgia writers, short biographies of the poets, and other information.

I hope you'll find this class interesting. I look forward to getting to know you.

Hugh Ruppersburg