Radical Poetry Course

There is often a stereotype of the poet as solitary and pretentious, cut off from the everyday, but this course will explore poetry that burst out of radical movements and global struggles against capitalism and imperialism.

Every week or two, we will cover a brief overview of a different international Marxist, anti-capitalist, and anti-imperialist movements, and read some of the poems that emerged out of these struggles. The particular historical and contemporary struggles will be informed as the course evolves but options include Palestine, Ireland, Kurdistan, Chile, Spain, Cuba, Vietnam, and Algeria, among others. These radical works will also extend to folk songs and oral traditions.

The course will also connect global struggles and reflect on the solidarity across these movements. This will allow us to look, for example, at how anti-colonial words written by Irish freedom fighters during the Easter Rising found their way to Rojava as well as the Palestine solidarity encampments on US colleges over a century later.

Each session will involve a selection of readings, writing prompts, feedback and open conversations.

Over the course of the ten weeks, the class will also develop a collaborative work informed by our personal experiences and the work we discuss during the sessions. By the end of the ten weeks, each participant will come away with improved confidence in writing poetry and greater awareness of poetry’s place in radical struggles.

The course will be facilitated by Oli Isaac (they/them), an award-winning poet, playwright and activist based in London. They are an alumni of writing collectives from the Soho Theatre, the Roundhouse and the Barbican Centre, and a current member of Barbican Creatives in Solidarity with Palestine (BCSP).

For this beginners’ course, no prior experience of poetry is needed. However, those who have prior experience in poetry are very welcome. Expect a gentle, and low-pressure environment.