“Near” Persona vs. “Far” Persona: Writing the Other, Writing the Self
Writing from the perspective of another requires great investment and momentous risk, all with no promise of reward. So why do poets continue to explore persona as a creative approach in our work? In this seminar, we will explore Shirali’s scholarship on the persona spectrum—discussing “near” persona and “far” persona as ways of conceiving of our poems’ speakers, and ultimately engaging in philosophical exploration of the ethical stakes and creative potential inherent in stepping outside our own subjectivities.