While sonnets, rhyme schemes, and meter may conjure up images of the antiquated past, poetic forms can work beautifully for modern topics–if the poet knows how to use them to maximum effect. Following in the tradition of poets such as Langston Hughes, Adrienne Rich, and more, participants will learn when to hold to tradition and when to bend the form to update it. The first part of the session will examine several elements of form (e.g., villanelle) to understand each form’s effect on readers. Then, writers will experiment with ways of modifying the parameters of their chosen forms and/or tactically “breaking” the form to alter the effect as it fits the writer’s specific content.