The Living Line: Mastering Poetic Meter
Make Your Poems
Sound Like Poetry
A five-week live course in meter — for poets who want to understand the heartbeat of their lines, whether they write in traditional forms, free verse, or both.
5 sessions · 2 hours each Live on Zoom · Max. 12 places · Recordings included
Does this sound familiar?
You feel it in your poems,
even if you can't name it yet:
“I know there’s this thing called meter — I know it’s important — but I have no idea what it actually is or how it works. Let alone how to use it in my own writing. The terminology alone puts me off.”
“My poems feel flat. They don’t quite sound like published poems. I think it might be the rhythm — but I don’t know what makes a good poetic rhythm, or how to find it, or how to fix it when it’s wrong.”
“I write free verse, so I always assumed meter had nothing to do with me. But something’s off when I read my lines aloud. They sound more like prose than poetry, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
What’s involved in Poetry Parlor?
1. Discussion Poem
Each month begins with the Discussion Poem: a great poem by a contemporary poet. The poem is chosen for its high quality, and also because it showcases something you can learn from—form, subject matter, voice, or more.
2. Live Discussion Webinar
(Standard and Mentoring Memberships only)
Once you’ve had a chance to think about the Discussion Poem, you have the chance to meet with me and other Parlor members to talk about it. Have your say, learn more about the poem, and meet fellow poets!
Webinars usually take place on the first Monday of the month at 12pm US Eastern Time (5pm UK), and the first Thursday at 4pm US Eastern Time (9pm UK). If you can’t make either of them, there will always be a video.
3. Comment Video on the Discussion Poem
This detailed explanation of how I see the Discussion Poem working will help you deepen your understanding of the poem and what you can learn from it.
4. Poem Prompt
An inspiring exercise to get you writing. The Poem Prompt will help you incorporate what you’ve learned from the Discussion Poem into your own writing—and give you a deadline to make sure you do it!
5. Private Facebook Group
The Facebook group is an opportunity get to know other Parlor poets, receive feedback from them on your monthly poem draft, and give and get support with poetry in general. Enjoy connecting with other people who love poetry the way you do.
6. Video Feedback from me
In the Standard membership ONLY, you’ll get 5-8 minutes of video feedback from me so you can take your poem further each month. I’ll tell you what I think you’ve done well and what you can develop next.
7. Mentoring Level: 30 minutes one-on-one meeting time
In the Mentoring membership ONLY, instead of the Video Feedback, I will meet with you live online using the Zoom app. I’ll make it my mission to give you personalized advice for your fastest boost up the poetry skills ladder.
Is Poetry Parlor for you?
Poetry Parlor can work for you if:
You have written poetry before, maybe for years, and you would like to broaden your knowledge and skills
You would like to learn more about the techniques and forms of poetry
You are looking for regular inspiration to help you create poems
You want to get feedback on your poems to help you improve
You want to know more about poetry being published now
You’re just starting poetry and would like some structure and guidance to help you (please see the FAQ as well)
You’d like to get to know other poets in similar positions to yourself, for support, friendship, and encouragement.
Poetry Parlor may not be for you if:
You already have an advanced degree in poetry (such as an MFA or MA)
You are 100% happy with the poetry you write and you don’t want to try new things.
What People Are Saying
“Poetry Parlor took me on a positive journey from using an existing poem as an idea to developing the first draft of my poem. The chosen poem and the discussions were inspirational in my own poetry writing.
Then, there were excellent tips on editing that helped to produce a published poem.”
— Sue B.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the entire format, from reading the poem, to discussing it, then writing our own. I truly appreciated the feedback from other poets involved and from Brian.
Poetry Parlor informed my sense of my strengths and limitations as a poet. I have a strong draft that I now look forward to developing with a real sense of direction.”
— Mary-Lou B.
“Poetry Parlor has given me a new sense of confidence and the nudge I needed to start reading and writing poetry again.
I always enjoy Brian’s teaching. He helps me see things I perhaps wouldn’t have seen, and has a gentle, encouraging way of giving useful feedback. The prompt was pitched just right—accessible to all and inspiring.”
— Natalie B.
“Poetry Parlor engenders awareness of high quality poetry and techniques to enhance creative output within a stimulating community that encourages each step of the journey.
I felt skillfully prompted, guided, and held within this community of poets, with Brian as tutor at the helm.”
— Sonja M.
“The feedback let me know where I was failing to come across to readers—where something needed to be honed or reinforced—whether it be in an image, or a tone, or the order of stanzas. These are things one cannot do alone.
I love the video feedback! Brian’s commentary is always excellent—comprehensive, even-keeled, and to the point!”
— Jane O.
“I enjoyed reading the work of others, to see different takes on the same prompt. I liked hearing how my work was interpreted by others. We don’t always have distance from our work, so this was very helpful. Brian is very knowledgeable!”
— Nancy W.
Join Now!
Standard Membership
$35/month
Includes every month:
Discussion Poem
Brian’s Comment Video
Poem Prompt
Private Poetry Parlor Facebook group
Live Discussion Webinar and recording
$10 off The Spark, Brian’s monthly poem-generation workshop
Video Feedback on your poem from Brian
Mentoring Membership
$87.50/month
Includes every month:
Discussion Poem
Brian’s Comment Video
Poem Prompt
Private Poetry Parlor Facebook group
Live Discussion Webinar and recording
$10 off The Spark, Brian’s monthly poem-generation workshop
30 minutes live one-on-one mentoring with Brian
FAQs
I’m interested, but I’m not sure if I’d like it. How can I test out Poetry Parlor?
The best way to test out Poetry Parlor is to join in!
You can try a month of the Standard membership for only $30, and you’ll get a chance to experience everything. And if it’s not for you, you can cancel for the next month any time!
How much time will I need to take part?
At the least, you just need the time to create one poem draft in a month. I reckon that’s about 1-2 hours—but it doesn’t have to be all at one go. You could do it in 15-20 minutes a week.
And of course, if you’ve got more, you can give more—you can do more writing, more thinking, and more interaction in the Facebook group.
I’ve never written poetry before. Can Poetry Parlor work for me?
I think so, provided you’re willing to take a few chances and try things out. While the Poem Prompt won’t be aimed explicitly at beginners, the Parlor will give you a structured way to create a poem every month—and you can always ask for extra help on the Facebook group.
In particular, in the Feedback and Mentoring levels I can give you tips that are specially focused on learning poetry. Just let me know when you send me your poem!
Can I change my membership level?
Yes, you can change your membership level at any time. The change will take effect for your next month’s membership.
What happens if I join late in the month? Will I still get to take part?
Yes! As soon as you join, you’ll get access to the Discussion Poem, Comment Video, and Poem Prompt for the month you joined. But if it’s kind of late in the month and you don’t really have time to join in, you’ll also get all these things for the next month too, along with the chance to join the Live Webinar and get Feedback or Mentoring, if you’ve signed up for those. So you’ll never miss out!
Join Now!
Standard Membership
$35/month
Includes every month:
Discussion Poem
Brian’s Comment Video
Poem Prompt
Private Poetry Parlor Facebook group
Live Discussion Webinar and recording
$10 off The Spark, Brian’s monthly poem-generation workshop
Video Feedback on your poem from Brian
Mentoring Membership
$87.50/month
Includes every month:
Discussion Poem
Brian’s Comment Video
Poem Prompt
Private Poetry Parlor Facebook group
Live Discussion Webinar and recording
$10 off The Spark, Brian’s monthly poem-generation workshop
30 minutes live one-on-one mentoring meeting with Brian
