Somewhere between the short lyric stanza and the epic poem lies the deeply satisfying long poem of 4-10 pages. Capable of holding richly developed characters and multiple settings, expansive narratives, and complex themes, the long poem asks readers and writers to stretch beyond what they think possible in a poem. In our study we’ll discuss contemporary models such Robert Frost’s “The Death of the Hired Man”; Robert Hayden’s “Middle Passage”; Allen Ginsberg’s revolutionary “Howl”; Nikky Finney’s sonnet sequence “Plunder” from her collection Head off & Split, and others. Working from drafts of poems in progress, participants will explore ways to push their poems toward greater length and complexity in a long form poem.

This class is suitable for intermediate writers.

Lynnell Edwards’ most recent collection of poetry, The Bearable Slant of Light (Red Hen Press, 2024), documents the burden and beauty of mental illness in one family and across this history of writers and artists. Her other collections include This Great Green Valley (Broadstone Books, 2020), a chapbook of documentary poetry based on revisionist narratives of Kentucky’s pioneer founding in the 18th century. She is a founding member and past president of Louisville Literary Arts and also served on the Kentucky Women Writers Conference Board of Directors.

Cancellation Policy:

The Carnegie Center reserves the right to cancel a class if minimum enrollment is not met. It is best to register early to help our instructors prepare and to ensure the class does not get cancelled. We evaluate registration numbers 6–2 business days before a class starts to decide whether we can hold the class. Classes that do not meet minimum enrollment will be cancelled 6 –2 business days prior to the first class meeting. All participants will be notified by email and will receive full refunds.