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Back to Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (“ModPo”)

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (“ModPo”) by University of Pennsylvania

4.8
stars
601 ratings

About the Course

ModPo is a FREE (no fee, no charge) fast-paced introduction to modern and contemporary U.S. poetry, with an emphasis on experimental verse, from Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman to the present. Participants (who need no prior experience with poetry) will learn how to read poems that are supposedly "difficult." We encounter and discuss the poems one at a time. It's much easier than it seems! Join us and try it! ModPo is open all year, so you can enroll now, or any time, and join us. Each year we host a lively, interactive 10-week session, in which we move together through the ten-week syllabus. The next live 10-week session of ModPo will begin on September 1, 2024, and will conclude on November 11, 2024. Al Filreis will be in touch with you by email before the September 1 start of the course with all the information you'll need to participate. If you have questions, you can email the ModPo team any time at modpo@writing.upenn.edu. Much more information about ModPo can be found at modpo.org. During the 10 weeks of the course, you will be guided through poems, video discussions of each poem, and community discussions of each poem. And (unique among open online courses) we offer weekly, interactive live webcasts. Our famed TAs also offer office hours throughout the week. We help arrange meet-ups and in-site study groups. If you are curious about the ModPo team, type "ModPo YouTube introduction" into Google or your favorite search engine, and watch the 20-minute introductory video. You will get an overview of the course and will meet the brilliant TAs, who will be encountering the poems with you all the way to the end. If you use Facebook, join the always-thriving ModPo group: from inside Facebook, search for "Modern & Contemporary American Poetry" and then request to be added as a member. If you have any questions about ModPo, you can post a question to the FB group and you'll receive an almost instant reply. Much more information about ModPo can be found at modpo.org . We tweet all year long at @ModPoPenn and you can also find ModPo colleagues using the hashtag #ModPoLive. ModPo is hosted by—and is housed at—the Kelly Writers House at 3805 Locust Walk on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia USA. All ModPo'ers are welcome to visit the Writers House when they are in our area. Our discussions are filmed there. Our live webcasts take place in the famed "Arts Cafe" of the House. To find out what's going on at the Writers House any time, just dial 215-746-POEM....

Top reviews

MM

Nov 14, 2022

This was a wonderful course. I learned more about stylistic devices, close readings of poems, and was introduced to some very fine poet's!

JW

Dec 4, 2022

This is a great course. The course is very interactive with great discussions and unique insights.

John

John Wang, PhD CRE MBB

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101 - 125 of 226 Reviews for Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (“ModPo”)

By SARA G

Jan 5, 2021

It is a very interesting and fascinating course! I really appreciated the way it was organised and the clearly understandable conversations about Modern and Contemporary American Poetry among ModPo members. Thank you!

By Quentin Y

Mar 24, 2021

'One word is too often profaned for me to profane it.'

I too used to believe poetry is no more than the lines-broken 'what' of prose, but now I understand poetry is the 'how', which helps me to LOVE POETRY better.

By Laura A

Nov 16, 2020

This is one of the most outstanding courses I have encountered. A fully immersive experience with rewarding debates, discussions and wonderful exposure to a variety of forms of poetry with endless "possibility.'

By Stephanie R

May 1, 2020

A terrific course. Sometimes the students' comments were wandering and full of hesitation and I would have preferred to hear more from the professor. But overall, I enjoyed the format and the content very much,

By Barbara K

Aug 12, 2021

This course has opened up the world and poetry like no other subject for me. The enjoyment and breadth of subjects, the language, sounds, the expression....... I could go on but I feel like I am on a journey

By Kenton K Y

Dec 10, 2016

Best online poetry course ever! I highly recommend it to all writers, not just poets. The development of modern and contemporary poetry goes hand and foot with the development of American literature and art.

By Afshan K

Jan 14, 2024

I learned plenty of new things about poetry, so many techniques that poets have been using, the process involved in creating poems, and a hundred or more ways of writing a poem or producing a poetic piece.

By nicolascengarle@yahoo.fr

Feb 5, 2023

Thank you for everything. You opened new doors when I desperately needed a new way to decipher the world. ModPo is a consciousness shift. You have no idea how much this was precious to me. Take care <3

By Maria R

Jun 24, 2018

I really enjoyed how dinamic it was. Although the classes were like little debates, the professor was able to guide the students. When talking about poetry, I find this method very refreshing. Good job!

By David W

Nov 6, 2020

I learned a lot and enjoyed, had fun with and absorbed all of the reading I did and all of the readings others did.

I would take this course again (maybe I WILL) and would avidly recommend it to others.

By Juan D

Oct 24, 2022

this is the best modern poetry course i have even taken. it not only broadens my horizon on analysis of modern poetry, but it has a wide range of poet types. Very comprehensive!!!! I love it.!!!!

By Celina C F

Sep 21, 2016

Excellent every way you look at it. Great discussions, learned a lot with all the poems and papers. Also, you get to be a part of a really great community. You will never feel lonely again.:)

By Irene M M

Dec 19, 2023

Es un curso con muchos contenidos pero muy interesante. Me ha gustado que no solo se han centrados en poetas típicxs, sino que también han tratado a poetas menos conocidxs.

By jake a

Dec 5, 2020

one of the best on-line courses on poetry I have seen. I learned so much from the course which helped me with my own writing as an amateur poet. Highly recommended.

By Jane W

Dec 14, 2020

This is a wonderful course taught by a talented group of people who love poetry and discussing poetry. Once you join this community, you will never want to leave!

By Ian B

Nov 11, 2021

Outstanding, life-changing, and does not end even after "completed". Reveals the true potential of what MOOCs can be, and 99%+ fail to even attempt.

By Anu U

May 1, 2021

I was not a fan of poetry, found it hard to breakdown and understand. ModPo did a great job in showing me how to read and understand poetry.

By Raquel F

Aug 20, 2021

Es un curso fabuloso. He tardado tiempo en hacerlo porque quería empaparme bien de todo. Sin duda volveré a él. Gracias por esta maravilla.

By Marti J M

Nov 15, 2022

This was a wonderful course. I learned more about stylistic devices, close readings of poems, and was introduced to some very fine poet's!

By Maeve O

Nov 17, 2016

I did most of this on my commute and it was so much fun. It has impacted my perception of modern poetry - the difference is spreading.

By John W

Dec 5, 2022

This is a great course. The course is very interactive with great discussions and unique insights.

John

John Wang, PhD CRE MBB

By AArya

Oct 23, 2020

Awesome course. This course made me fall in love with poetry even more and realise its endless scope and implications.

By Xinshu A X

Nov 20, 2016

Tons of thanks and appreciation to Al, TAs, and everyone who has enjoyed Modpo as much as I do in the past two months!

By Treva S

Sep 14, 2016

More than a course. More than poetry. More than it's international community. More than edifying. More than inspiring.

By Steven S

Feb 16, 2021

Awesome class! I learned so much and never once felt talked down to. I recommend to anyone interested in learning.