“Magical Realism is not so much about ghosts as possibility….It is a literature in continual exception to the rule, whatever the rule may be….Poems, with their sense of moment rather than plot, may be a good starting point for gathering us in an understanding of this literature.” —Alberto Ríos
In this weekly, in-person drop-in class, we’ll explore magical realism in our writing, embracing a sense of poetic play and an active bending of reality. We’ll read poems rooted in realism but that fearlessly tap into the unreal, the impossible and the supernatural. We’ll explore poems that involve talking animals, time travel, biomythology and, of course, ghosts. By playing with these extraordinary possibilities, how can we create tension or even ignite comedy and surprise? And most importantly, how can this play get us even closer to the truth in our work? This class will focus on poetry but is open to writers of all genres who are looking for an hour of inspiration, play and possibilities. Sharing will be encouraged but optional. (Note that drop-in classes are not a forum for critique of work; students looking for critique should register for multi-week workshops.)
Drop-In Details
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Karl Michael Iglesias is a Puerto Rican actor, director and writer from Milwaukee, WI, who now resides in Brooklyn, NY. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, he is also the former creative director of the First Wave program under the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives. His poetry can be read in the Florida Review, RHINO, the Brooklyn Review, the Madison Review and the Hong Kong Review, to name a few. Karl is the author of the poetry chapbook CATCH A GLOW, available from Finishing Line Press. Hip Hop.