Saturdays, November 7 & 14, 2026, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Meetings will take place in the Poetry Center's Alumni Room, Room 205; limit 12 students. General registration for Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops will open on Tuesday, August 25th at 10:00am.
What happens when a poem makes you laugh and then immediately breaks your heart? This two-session workshop explores how poets use humor, wordplay, and levity to approach difficult subject matter—not as avoidance, but as craft. We'll examine poems that employ puns, jokes, rule-breaking, and playful dramatic structures to create emotional complexity and surprise, studying how comedy can disarm readers, build intimacy, or amplify poignancy through juxtaposition. Through close readings and generative exercises, participants will experiment with various forms of play in their own work, discovering how humor can be a tool for both courage and precision. Come ready to laugh, write, and take risks.