“It is wonderful the number of mistakes a verb can make and that is equally true of its adverbs.”

—Gertrude Stein

How do we read poetry that that exploits the weaknesses and ambiguities of this thing called “language”? How do we read writing that crosses the very boundaries of its own genre? How do we read works that thrive on the making of mistakes? How can we read literature that it is making these mistakes on purpose? How do we respond to a syntax based on mistake? In order to ask these questions this course will be heavily focused on poems that are often testing and crossing the laws of syntax, grammar, logic, and genre in order to in order to examine the limits of language itself. Consequently we will also find ways in which language can be expanded and changed beyond its prescribed limits. The goal is this course is to figure out how to read poems that offer radical forms of syntax and grammatical logic. The readings for this course will include selections from Stein, Crane, Cummings, DADA, the Oulipo, Frank O’Hara and the New York School, Bernadette Mayer and the Language poets, the Berkeley/San Francisco Renaissance, Ann Waldman & Allen Ginsberg and the Beats, The New Narrativists. The New Brutalists, and a plays by Suzanne Lori Parks, and Carla Harryman.

Since this class has a “W” requirement you will be assigned a series of short essays approximately 3 pages each, and one longer paper of approximately 5-7 pages with required revisions.