Abstract
This paper is very much a poet’s perspective, drawing on the reflections and experiences of other poets to explore the ways in which poetry can – and cannot – be assessed in universities.
I will begin with a bleak view shared by many poets, expressed in a recent interview by the poet August Kleinzhaler:
The notion of teaching Creative Writing, teaching people to write poetry, is preposterous. You can’t do it. It’s like teaching someone to be kind or amusing or a wizard at languages. It’s hard-wired.
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Notes
Brian Henry and Andrew Zawacki, Eds., The Verse Book of Interviews(Seattle, WA: Wave Books, 2005).
John Haffenden, Viewpoints: Poets in Conversation(London: Faber, 1981).
W.N. Herbert and Matthew Hollis, Eds., Strong Words(Newcastle upon Tyne: Bloodaxe, 2000).
Les Murray, The Paperbark Tree: Selected Prose (Manchester: Carcanet 1992).
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© 2012 Michael Symmons Roberts
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Roberts, M.S. (2012). Assessment of Poetry in Higher Education Courses: What Are the Limits?. In: Teaching Creative Writing. Teaching the New English. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137284464_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137284464_21
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-230-24008-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-28446-4
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