ARISTASIA FORUMS & SOCIAL NETWORK

Rayati dear maids!

After receiving a depressing blow today about some financial things I had been hoping for, I was trying to think of positive things I could do for our community to step forward from this point and came back to an idea I'd had over a year ago for a poetry study club within the College. My idea would be a more informal version of a class I taught at a Christian school some years ago and a column I once had in a girl's monthly magazine: I would discuss how to craft a certain form of poetry and find Aristasian-friendly examples of that form for discussion (and it would be wonderful if maids who know a little of poetry already could bring their own examples), and then at the next meeting we could all bring our attempts at that form and share them together. Everyone would be encouraged to come and join in, no matter your skill at poetry, as we are all students, and bonding through sharing such an experience is always a joy, and no maid will be made fun of!

I very much want to stress that this would not be a College Class, but just a study club, and an unofficial one. It would be open to all scholars of Sai Thame College and likely any other interested maids. I offer to lead it because I want to help encourage this fairly lost art (among Tellurians, not Aristasians, obviously) as it is the form of art dearest to me and one I have missed helping others to learn. If all had gone as I once thought I would be teaching it now at a Tellurian college, but obviously our plans gang aft agley!

If anyone is interested or has suggestions or comments, I welcome them. I was thinking that having it be a weekly or bi-monthly meeting would be best, with the first being learning of the form and examples of classic poetry and the second being sharing of our own writing. I assume evenings are best for most everyone at this point, and I would hesitate greatly to have it on Saturday due to College Lectures and the gatherings after such, and on Fridays due to the Book Club, so have left them out of the poll. If those are the only days that are possible for meetings and there are enough maids interested, we can work to schedule a time on one of those days to hold it.

Rayati, Miss Farshore,

This is a wonderful idea! I studied poetry as well at university and did write for quite some time before the matters of everyday existence forced that discipline into the background.

Although, I must confess, the poetry I was encouraged to write by my teachers was free verse or blank verse. I was never very skilled at adhering to prescribed form, but rather encouraged to create my own forms and work from that as a platform. The closest thing I can think of in terms of Real poetry that my form approximates is that of Mr. Robert Browning's dramatic monolgues.

In any event, I am happy to participate and available most any evening, except Friday (book group) or Saturday (general Emby fun).

Thank you for starting this, darling!

In amity,
JJ

I think that this is a wonderful idea! I wish I could participate, but unfortunately, I am not available any of those evenings.

I would like to join too however, being on different time zone makes it difficult for me!! However i am trying and will try to attend!

Hmm, it seems that more maids want to be involved, but can only do so on Friday and Saturday. Saturday is fairly full, and I would hate to break up the dancing and bonding that happens after the lecture, and Friday I think the earliest most maids can come (including myself) is when Book Club starts. Does anyone have any suggestions? Perhaps later on Saturday?

Perhaps we can alternate the book club and poetry group on Fridays, so each group meets twice a month instead of weekly.

That may be a good idea--especially since my free time is at the mercy of my parents' schedules.