All poems are made up of a series of authorial choices—syntax, image, sound patterns, repetition—but no other characteristic distinguishes poetry from prose more than lineation. Defined as “an act or instance of marking with or tracing by lines” one might imagine a map, stakes flagging a construction site, or the marks used to count a castaway’s days. These are fine metaphors for a conversation about why and when a poet might break a line of text or decide to utilize white space in a poem. Using examples from contemporary poets to stir our discussion, we will generate new work from prompts, paying close attention to the weight of each line.

with Sarah Pape