Description: This is a meeting place for all poets on Neopoet to come and post verses of poetry to "Eternal Renga" So, come as a group or individual and post your verses anytime. This is an ongoing collaborative effort that could go on for hundreds of verses. A truly Neopoet group effort. Let's co-operate to create a truly Neopoet poem.

Leader: Barbara Writes
Moderator(s):

Objectives: To have everyone at Neopoet collaborating a Renga poem.

Level of expertise: Open to all.

Description: Imagery, what it is and when is too much. Will begin with a discussion on imagery (which will be ongoing throughout shop) Will then move on to a couple of exercises designed to help people start using more imagery without overdoing it. One will be a "fill in the blanks" exercise and the other will be writing a new poem in partnership with another. Each exercise will be open to discussion as the steps are completed by members.

Leader: scribbler
Moderator(s):

Objectives: To help people become more comfortable in using imagery in their poetry

Description: A workshop devoted to the mechanical construction of a poem.

Leader: wesley
Moderator(s): Rula

Objectives: To discuss the development of a poem from initial draft through a correction phase to a polished work.

Level of expertise: Open to all

Description: We will be exploring the difference between using an OK word and using the RIGHT word in poetry. We will begin by reading 2 poems by well known poets (one free verse and one rhyming) which have had words changed here and there. We'll then discuss the impact that minor word changes had on these poems.

Next will come a general discussion of how just a word here and there can significantly affect a poem.

We will then each submit one of our own poems which we feel could be improved by a few word choice changes. This can be either a new poem or an old one.

Description: An exercise in the four basic meter structures with discussion of some of the more esoteric. This will be Meter 101 open to all of the pools. We will again explore iamb, trochee, anapest and dactyl in some detail while holding discussions on spondees, pyrrhics, amphibrachs and more. Participants will work chiefly with quatrains of various meters in tetrameter and pentameter (to be discussed) as well as shorter lines to Alexandrines.

Description:
How do we express powerful emotions with falling into sentimentality? How can we communicate an importunate truth without lapsing into slogans and clichés? What is originality and how do we know when we have strayed into derivative, rehashed, or imitative writing?

This workshop will feature a discussion leading to each participant choosing a set of emotions and/or ideas they want to express and a strategy for communicating them in an original way.

This is a collaborative workshop where participants create a poem with 'Rhyming couplets in quatrains'. It's designed just like Eternal Renga workshop before it. Only the poetry content and form is different. The suggested metric form is "Iambic Tetrameter", which means 8 syllables per line, alternately unstressed and stressed eg da DUM / da DUM / da DUM / da DUM / Those who enjoy writing or want to learn Rhyming couplets in quatrains and practice their meter. This is a place just for you. We will begin with a discussion of subjects/themes we might tackle.

Description:We will discuss and use techniques which can be used that allow a reader to relate to a poem(hence relativity). Will begin with a discussion of why it's important the readers relate, go on to how this can be accomplished. Then we will each select one of our own poems which we think fails in achieving relativity. Leader next will assign another member to rewrite this poem such that it will relate to the reader. Finally each rewritten poem will be discussed dwelling on whether the rewrite succeeds in immersing the reader in the poem.

Leaders: BlueDemon77and weirdelf

Moderators: weirdelf, beauregard

Description: Each participant will submit one poem they feel needs work, one they are having trouble perfecting, or feel is under-appreciated. One other participant will be assigned to give it a vigorous critique at every level. Some of the areas or topics of the critique would include

Description:This is going to be a different type shop. Instead of writing poetry or learning definitions and stuff, we're going to Think. We're going to attempt to determine the difference between good and great poetry
Leader: Stan Holliday (scribbler)
Moderator(s): weirdelf (Jess)

Objectives: To better our own poetry by discussing what makes a poem great

Level of expertise: Open to all