One definition of a spell is: “Words that make something happen.” Another definition of a spell is: “Words arranged in a particular order to manifest power.” These definitions could also describe poetry. Because of these overlaps, many poets practice a form of divinatory poetics or imagine/invoke connection to more-than-human forces as inspiration, as part of their writing process and as an expression of their politics. In this class we will read and write poems that are diverse, powerful, and, yes, magical.
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