This unit examines Australian poetries of the 20th and 21st centuries in context of parallel events in international poetry. It looks at histories and definitions of poetic 'innovation' and asks how Australian poetry has dealt with different waves of modernism. It studies dialogues between local and international avant-gardes, and surveys new poetic genres emerging in online environments. The unit aims to enrich students' critical understanding of poetry and poetics, and where relevant, to enhance their own creative writing practice. Topics addressed include poetic tradition and counter-tradition; form and experiment; colonialism, exile and belonging; literary communities; critical histories; digital and e-poetries.
