Structure & Surprise

Christopher Bakken, the writer of Structure & Surprise‘s “The Ironic Structure,” has written a collection of faux-fragments from invented Greek texts which often employ the ironic turn.  Check them out here.

Do note, though, that these fragments retain most of the ribald, carnivalesque worldliness and directness in terms of matters bodily and sexual of actual ancient Greek texts–they may not be suitable for all readers.

I prefer beer.

The above is a wonderfully funny poem created via a collaboration between Kiron Fowler and Jessica Obernuefemann, two students I met and worked with on Monday while visiting the poetry classroom of the excellent Tom McCulley at Heartland Community College in order to discuss Structure & Surprise.  With its rising/falling, set-up/punch-line action, “Over a Seascape” is, of course, a fine example of the ironic structure.

Thanks, Kiron, Jessica, Tom, and all of Tom’s students–what a pleasure it was to get to discuss–and write!–poems with you!