A Few Notes & Quotes from Nicole Caruso Garcia’s “Stealth Formalism” Workshop

Workshop Notes

About Nicole:

Nicole Caruso Garcia’s full-length debut OXBLOOD (Able Muse Press) recently received the International Book Award for narrative poetry. Her work appears in Best New Poets, Light, Mezzo Cammin, ONE ART, Plume, Rattle, RHINO, and elsewhere. She serves as associate poetry editor at Able Muse and as an executive board member at Poetry by the Sea, an annual poetry conference in Madison, CT. Visit her at nicolecarusogarcia.com.

*

Nicole’s poems in ONE ART.

*

“For me, syllabics was a gateway into form.”

*

Keep in mind reader expectations. If you’re going to introduce slant rhyme, introduce it early in the poem (generally speaking).

Ditto other formal maneuvers (?)

*

“I think it soften rhymes to rhyme a phrase.”

“The rhyme is subtle like a predatory octopus.” (on James Merrill’s ‘The Octopus’)

“All is forgiven with slant rhyme.”

Consider checking out RhymeZone

*

I was reminded of our inability to hear certain elements of speech which perhaps has some overlap with the conversation in this episode of Hidden Brain – ‘What’s Hidden in Your Words?’ (trigger warning… there are dark moments in this episode including discussion about poets and suicide). For me, this discussion seems well-aligned with the “stealth” concept.

*

Nicole reminds us to think about “your vessels” – I’m paraphrasing – “you wouldn’t put lemonade in a squeeze bottle or ketchup in a pitcher or soup in a cardboard box”

*

Newly coined turn of phrase?

“Rhyme cheating.” – Rachel Pearsall (workshop participant)

*

Like math?

Curtal Sonnet

*

We discussed reflecting on the importance of “condensing” in poetry

*

Nicole gave a shout-out to Jehanne Dubrow as one of the best living contemporary formal poets.

*

Learn more about future ONE ART workshops

Upcoming ONE ART readings

If you’re interested in submitting poems to ONE ART