COURSE SYNOPSIS
Award-winning poet Joshua Ip introduces you to the intricate world of formal poetry and why poets from Shakespeare to Li Bai write in form. You will even be exposed to rarely-seen formal poems written by Singapore’s pioneering leaders and poets. You will then progressively experience how writing in form can loosen up poetic muscles not usually exercised, from entry-level forms like the haiku, to more complex syllabic forms like the liwuli, to advanced forms like the sonnet. You will also have the opportunity to receive feedback on your newly written poems.
The session will enable people new to writing poetry to try out formal poetry writing and build a repertoire of 3-5 poems in a day. They will be equipped with the skills to identify and apply literary techniques in formal poetry. The course is also open to more experienced poets who wish to learn the techniques associated with formal poetry.
This course comprises 1 session, with the following segments:
Introduction to Form (1.5hrs)
This introductory session will bring participants through the definitions and elements of formal poetry, the history of form, the reasons why poets write in it, and introduce them to famous formal poems set internationally and in Singapore. This will set the context for them to write formal poems of their own.
Syllabic forms (2hrs)
The second module will bring participants through the range of syllabic forms, and allow them to workshop two different forms: the haiku and the liwuli. They will focus on issues such as the poetic image, the importance of concision, juxtaposition, and the nature of the imperative voice.
Rhyming forms (2hrs)
This session after lunch will introduce participants to sonic elements such as rhyme, meter, and other sound-related literary devices. They will then workshop two forms: the quatrain and the sonnet. They will focus on techniques such as assonance, consonance, scansion, onomatopoeia, and internal rhyme.
Nonce forms (1.5hrs)
This final session will introduce participants to the wide array of experimental forms used by modern and contemporary poets, including the zoetrope and the twin cinema. The session aims to point towards experiments in the field today and prepare participants for the future of poetry.
This course is SkillsFuture Credit-eligible. All Singaporeans aged 25 and above can use their SkillsFuture Credits from the government to pay for a wide range of approved skills-related courses. You may visit the course listing on the MySkillsFuture website here to find out more.
For enquiries, please email bookawriter@singlitstation.com.
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COURSE RUNS
Venue: Sing Lit Station, 22 Dickson Road #02-01, Singapore 209506
Second Run (one session only): 29 Dec 2025, 10.00 am - 6.00 pm
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COURSE FEES
Full Course Fee: $250
Student Concession: $150
SkillsFuture Credit-eligible! (T&C Apply)
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📍Venue: Sing Lit Station
🏢 Address: 22 Dickson Road #02-01, Singapore 209506
🗓️ Date: Monday, 29 Dec 2025
🕙 Time: 10.00 am - 6.00 pm
🎟️ Register Here: www.singlitstation.com/writing-in-poetic-forms