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Humour to be serious

I am considering running a somewhat esoteric workshop on the use of humour to convey serious ideas.
It would not be a workshop about funny poems, it would be about wordplay, sly references, about not taking oneself too seriously in order to convey something very serious.

This would definitely be Shark Pool material. Participants would need an excellent vocabulary, a more than passing familiarity with classic poetry and an interest in expressing vital issues.

Anyone interested?

Comments

like a fun way to convey serious subjects

so0unds pretty stimulating and challenging to me
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raj (sublime_ocean)

Yep I think my sarcasm would stretch to a poem or two with double meanings.
Yours Ian..

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Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

I'll start working up a syllabus. If anyone cares to help by sending me examples of clever/witty/cutting wordplay I'd really appreciate it. I expect Oscar Wilde will get a few mentions.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Stimulated by the essence of your proposed workshop, I have tried my hand at one. Watch out for "Ethics is a perceived notion" which I will be posting after crossing the one per 23 hrs timeline. If you find time to read this please let me know if it fits into the kind of poems which fit the bill of the proposed workshop.
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raj (sublime_ocean)

I'm particularly glad to see you pull Mario up on his sycophantic, irrelevant comment. It's like he didn't even read the poem!

It is exactly the sort of poem we could work on in the workshop, perhaps introducing a little more metaphor, referencing and satirical or ironic humour. However let's save that discussion for the workshop, ok?

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Jess thanks for reading and confirming that this poem is the sort of poem we would be discussing when you run the workshop...i believe you are referring to "Ethics- a perceived notion"...i have also posted a satire on human rights "Chicken [Poultry] Farm"...

thanks for stimulating my interest in writing also on these kind of themes
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raj (sublime_ocean)

Probably any of William Blake's Songs of and Experience might suit the workshop. Most of them are very light-hearted and child-like on the surface but allude to much darker/deeper/more serious themes. They are not necessarily humorous though. Maybe even the blurred line between humor and light-hearted or whimsical content might even be a topic of discussion in that case.

Kelsey

Critique, don't comment.

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Yes, it's been years since I read them anyway.

What I actually getting at is a form of dissembling or trickery, sleight of hand or misdirection.
By using witticisms, unusual, unexpected imagery, interesting turns of phrase and both popular and classical references the reader can be humming along enjoying themselves before they realise the ideological/philosophical pitfalls awaiting them in the poem.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Good to know this Kelsey...tell me where to looksie for them...sounds interesting
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raj (sublime_ocean)

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