Persona Poems: The Advantages of Stepping Into a Whole New “I”
Abstract
Many poets focus on their own lives in their work. Unfortunately, autobiography can become limiting, even tedious. One excellent way to help students expand their range is to introduce them to persona poems, in which they must inhabit the life and mind of a character (real or fictional, human or animal). Persona poems move writers away from the autobiographical and require them to assume a whole new “I.” In this session, attendees will discuss the genre, read a few examples, brainstorm possible ideas, and draft their own persona poems.
Persona Poems: The Advantages of Stepping Into a Whole New “I”
Room 203
Many poets focus on their own lives in their work. Unfortunately, autobiography can become limiting, even tedious. One excellent way to help students expand their range is to introduce them to persona poems, in which they must inhabit the life and mind of a character (real or fictional, human or animal). Persona poems move writers away from the autobiographical and require them to assume a whole new “I.” In this session, attendees will discuss the genre, read a few examples, brainstorm possible ideas, and draft their own persona poems.
