Why have poets kept writing sonnets for seven centuries? What creates an earworm? We will explore lyric poems and songs designed to be heard as well as seen, considering how these and other factors contribute to the popularity of poetry. From the rivers of Babylon to the shores of Gitche Gumee, from John Donne’s defiance of Death to Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks,” you will have a chance to roam in fields of gold and wrestle with the demons that keep writers up at night. You will also learn some of the best-loved verses in English, listen to classic song collections, and have the opportunity to develop your own creative and critical voice.