Collaboration Project
by Gale Nelson
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1. Each poet in the workshop writes a poem in three Roman-numeraled sections, formatted in chapbook form (so page one has the poet's name and the poem's title, page 2 is section I, page 3 is section II and page 4 is section III).
As each workshop participant will be expected to create a pamphlet by term's end, this gives everyone a first crack at pamphlet format, on a reasonably small scale.
2. Each poet exchanges her or his three-sectioned poem with a colleague. Then each poet writes two new sections, that are inserted into the pre-existing poetry sequence, so that the new format is: page 1 is the new title for the sequence, page 2 is blank, page 3 is section I from poet A, page 4 is the first insert by poet B, page 5 is section II from poet A, page 6 is the second insert from poet B, and page 7 is section III from poet A.
This provides the second poet with the opportunity to respond to the various aspects of the first poet's work—the structure and content. It also provides the poet with the chance to begin to grapple with longer form pamphlet-making.
3. The poets again exchange sequences. Then each poet writes three new sections, replacing the sections that were the original poem (sections I, II and III from step 1 above). So the "final poem" has: page 1 is the newest title for the sequence, page 2 is blank,page 3 is the NEW section I from poet A, page 4 is the first insert from poet B, page 5 is the NEW section II from poet A, page 6 is the second insert from poet B, and page 7 is the NEW section III from poet A.
So nothing from the original sequence is left, the poem become an echo chamber between the two poets. The process can be continued, the rules loosened, should the poets continue to find the process of interest. The material can also be reformatted, through collaboration, once step 3 has been completed (reinserting material from step one, for instance.
Gale Nelson is the author of ceteris paribus (Burning Deck) among other books of poetry and is the publisher of paradigm press. He teaches at Brown University in Providence, RI.
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