Con-Verse
Here we plan to talk about the speculative poetry scene, chat with poets about their work, and even help those who may think they don’t “get” poetry break down new ways to read (and write!) speculative verse for themselves.
Con-Verse: The Volta: Embracing Verse At Worldcon, and In The Everyday
I am grateful that you have allowed me to share this moment with you all—this historic moment in genre fandom overall—as the first poet laureate in the history of the World Science Fiction Convention.
Con-Verse: Calypso and the Legacy of the Epic Poem
One Hugo best poem finalist has been of particular interest to me because its presence inadvertently reveals one of the core historical touchstones of speculative poetry and reifies the core strength of one of the greatest forms of poetry from antiquity into the modern day.
Con-Verse: Tragedy From a Lens of Myth
Let’s tackle the finalist list by putting some of these poems beside each other and asking meaningful questions about their themes and approaches in curious interconnecting ways.
Con-Verse: Chatting with Holly Lyn Walrath
Hello, fellow travelers! I hope you’ve been having a wonderful time digging into the rich banquet of work on the finalist ballot of the Hugo Awards—including the best poem category finalists (but of course I hope you’re reading everything else, too)! Soon we will be tasked with casting our final ballots and determining which among … Read more
Con-Verse: Getting Back to the Feeling
I thought it was only fair to step all the way back—to rewind time and our focus way past our initial reading questions and come back to the way we first dig into poetry: by sound and by emotion.
Con-Verse: Chatting with Akua Lezli Hope
This week we’re chatting with SFPA Grand Master Akua Lezli Hope!
Con-Verse: Speculative Poetry and the Politics of Place
Continuing to pair the early speculative tools for reading with more deeper analytical resources is still in order, so in that vein we’re going to converse about how speculative poetry wrestles with deeply sociopolitical thematic matter.
Con-Verse: Chatting with David C. Kopaska-Merkel
We should keep acquainting ourselves with some of the standout poets in this wonderful genre, so this week we’re chatting with SFPA Grand Master and editor David C. Kopaska-Merkel!
Con-Verse: Speculative Poetry and The Body
Now that we have enough early-stage tools to discuss what makes poetry speculative, it’s a good time to consider something just a little bit more complex: what is the poem confronting that is valuable for us?