Wondering why the best poem you’ve ever written has never been accepted for publication?
Although we associate the term “volta” with the traditional sonnet form, it has been used with great success by many contemporary poets. Marking a shift in the poem’s tone, subject or logic, the volta has been compared to a change of key in music. In this workshop, we will explore how turning your attention in a new direction can open up a poem, allowing it to leap to another level of significance or meaning.
Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).
In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What a volta is and its roots in the sonnet form.
- The many forms that a volta can take in a poem.
- How contemporary poets have adapted the volta to expand their poem’s meaning and impact.
- Whether every poem needs a volta in order to succeed.
Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- Poets at all levels should understand what a volta is and what it can do for a poem that seems to be going nowhere.
If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.