We invite people to submit course syllabi based on Anthology of Modern American
Poetry—on disk to Cary Nelson or by e-mail (to mhurt@uiuc.edu)—for
us to place on line. We are especially interested in courses that use both Anthology of
Modern American Poetry and the web site. Courses may range from broad surveys to
concentrated treatments of specific modern American poetry topics. They may focus on all
or part of the century. Since each course will have its own link, you may include not only
a syllabus but also handouts, assignments, questions, manifestoes, provocations,
bibliographies, etc. References to the web site can be identified by the abbreviation
"MAPS."
Courses
Dee Morris, University of Iowa–Introduction to Poetry
Robert Bennett, University of California at Santa Barbara–"The
Languages of Literature: An Introduction to Literary Study"
Don Adams, Florida Atlantic University–"Creative
Writing"
Mark Van Wienen, Augustana College–"Creative
Karen Ford, University of Oregon–"Twentieth Century
African-American Poetry and Poetics"
Cary Nelson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign–"American
Poetry from 1900-1950"
Cary Nelson–"Cultural Territories: American Poetry
from World War II to the Present"
Edward Brunner, Southern Illinois University–"Major
American Writers: Williams, Stevens, and Eliot"
Mark Scroggins, Florida Atlantic University–"Modern
American and British Poetry"
Nancy Berke, City University of New York–"Modern
American Poetry"
Michael Thurston, Smith College–"Modern American
Poetry"
Tim Newcomb, West Chester University–"Modern
American Poetry"
Marsha Bryant, University of Florida–"Modern American
Poetry at Millennium"
Marsha Bryant–"Modern American Poetry"
Norman M. Finklestein, Xavier University–"Modern
American Poetry"
Alan Golding, University of Louisville–"Modern American Poetries"
Dr. Mair?ad Byrne, University of Mississippi–"Twentieth
Century Poetry"
Dr. Kenneth Sherwood, University of Texas of the Permian Basin–"20th-Century
American Poetry"
HOW TO USE MAPS IN THE CLASSROOM
Although MAPS has many resources for students and faculty writing research
papers, its most notable use may be in classes every week. Prior to MAPS there really was
no realistic way to give students access to commentary about so many authors. Now with
each week’s poetry readings everyone can gain a fairly detailed knowledge of the history
of criticism surrounding each poem. People thereby come to class ready to agree and
disagree with past critics; they are already participants in a conversation before the
class begins. Acquiring this level of background knowledge also makes for a more
democratic and collaborative discussion, since students and faculty are closer to being
intellectual equals.
This conversation can be enhanced by requiring everyone to post an email
or electronic bulletin board comment about one or two poems and the attendant MAPS
analyses before each class. These posts should go to everyone. Even shy students will
thereby be drawn into a dialogue, and everyone will begin formulating interpretations and
posing questions for discussion ahead of time.
The impact of all of this on the quality of discussion can be astonishing.
Advanced undergraduates or members of graduate seminars can then go on to
write original poem analyses for publication on MAPS.