Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Poetry Writing and Literature (Online)

ENGL 6011-70I

Course: ENGL 6011-70I
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: ENGL
CRN: 12182

Course Description

This poetry course focuses on the development of poetic voice through the writing, reading, and study of traditional and contemporary forms as well as technique. The final project will be a portfolio with revised poems and an essay of literary analysis. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ENGL 6010 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C-

Required Texts

  • Strand, M. and Boland, E. Making of a Poem. Norton & Company, Incorporated, W. W. [ISBN: 9780393321784]
  • Flemming, Deborah. Earthrise. Kelsay Books [ISBN: 9781952326820]
  • Murillo, John. Kontemporary American Poetry. Four Ways Books [ISBN: 9781945588471]
  • Hass, Robert. The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa. Ecco. [‎ISBN: 0880013516
  • Sugar House Review Literary Journal
    Issue #30, Sweet Sixteen Anniversary issue
    https://www.sugarhousereview.com/purchase


Learning Outcomes


By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Identify traditional forms of poetry such as haiku, sonnet, terza rima (Poetry Handbook, Poems)
  2. Explore traditional and contemporary literature that exemplify the above forms (Response Papers, Literary Analysis Paper)
  3. Write poems in various forms incorporating a variety of poetic techniques (Poems, Portfolio)
  4. Discuss the relationship between content and form in their poetry (Reflection Paper)

Course Requirements

Poems


You will write a poem each week based on assigned writing prompts, totaling 12 poems. The first set of poems will follow guidelines based on closed forms. The second set of poems will be open form.

Poetry Exercises


Writing exercises that exemplify a poetic technique.

Response Papers


A response paper is a one-page, double spaced paper in which you respond to questions about  assigned poems.

Portfolio


The portfolio is a compilation of your five best poems and will include two Reflection Papers--one about your poems and one about poems by a classmate.

Reflection Papers


You will write two reflection papers. In the first one, you will reflect on your process as well as how you see the relationship between content and form in your own poems from your portfolio. In your second paper, you will discuss the relationship between content and form in the poems from a that of a classmate’s portfolio. 

Literary Analysis Paper


 This 5-7 page paper will be an in-depth literary analysis of poems from two assigned books by contemporary poets. 

Conferences


There are three required conferences with me during the semester. These conferences will take place over Zoom and will be based on the poems you have written up to that point. During the second conference, we will discuss the poems that might be included in your portfolio.

Workshops


We will schedule two small group workshops through the Discussion Board. Submit a poem to the discussion board on Canvas for your Discussion Board workshop.


Course Outline

Unit I Closed Form Poetry: During this Unit, you will write poems in the following forms: The Haiku, the Sonnet, the Quatrain and the Terza Rima. We will study the components of the image, the line and the stanza as well as various theories of poetics. Learning the techniques in these key poetry forms will set the foundation for writing open form poetry.  (January 9-February 23)
 
Unit II Open Form Poetry: In this Unit we will expand on the concept of form to explore "open form poetry" by writing an elegy, a pastoral, an ekphrasis poem, in addition to other assignments. The intent of these assignments is to encourage you to explore your voice as a writer by expanding your relationship with language.
(February 25-March 30)

Unit III Portfolio, Portfolio Exchange, Synthesis Paper: In Unit III we will synthesize the concepts about poetry from Units I and II into a cohesive exploration of the nature of form in poetry. We'll explore the nature of form through your portfolio, a portfolio exchange with peers, and a synthesis paper. (April 1-April 23)

Your Portfolio will be made up of your five best poems and a reflective essay about what you learned regarding form and your writing process. You will exchange your portfolio with another student in the class. You will submit their portfolio to me with a response essay discussing your observations about the relationship between form and content in their poems. You will conclude the semester with a literary synthesis paper. 


Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work


We will be writing approximately a poem a week. I have given weekly deadlines for and assignments and have designed the course so that each assignment builds on the next one. I will not penalize late work that is turned in the same week as its due date. However, if an assignment is turned in late beyond that "grace period,"  I will give it only half credit. I will not accept late assignments turned in after we have completed that Unit. 

Make Up Work/Extra Credit: I don't assign make up work or extra credit. Instead, focus on completing the assignments as they are due. 

Your attendance is measured by your participation and completion of course activities.

Attendance Policy

Your attendance is measured by your participation and completion of course activities.

Course Fees

https://www.suu.edu/registrar/course-fees.html

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.