4 Year Nursing Degree Programme (BSc Cur)

NU3E05 An appreciation of contemporary poetry in English (5 ECTS)

Learning Outcomes

Following completion of this module the student should be able to:

• Provide an overview of poets discussed in the module and the significance of their work.
  
• Describe and analyse poems discussed in the module.
  
• Source and analyse information relating to poems discussed in the module.
  
• Express ideas accurately, clearly, persuasively and imaginatively, in written form.

Module Learning Aims

This introductory course aims to stimulate your interest in four internationally renowned, contemporary
poets writing in the English Language. The course introduces you to a small selection of significant short
poems from each of the following: the Nobel Laureate (1995) Seamus Heaney from Ireland, the Irish-
American John Montague, the Nobel laureate (1992) Derek Walcott from St Lucia and the Australian Les
Murray.

The module offers an introduction to the four poets and an overview of the significance of their work.
This is followed by a descriptive survey of the criticism concerning each of the poems examined. In
addition, as this is an elective course, it will provide you with opportunities to enhance key transferable
skills that will be useful in all walks of life after college, such as understanding social, cultural and
historical diversity, understanding aspects of the human condition as portrayed in English words, poetry
appreciation, communication skills, including creative expressionism, ICT, resourcefulness, problem
solving & critical thinking.

Recommended Reading List

• Heaney S. (1999) Opened Ground. Faber and Faber, London.
  
• Fallon P. (2009) (ed) Chosen Lights - Poets on poems by John Montague. The Gallery Press, Loughcrew.
  
• Montague, J. (2012) New Collected Poems, The Gallery Press, Loughcrew.
  
• Murray L. (2002) New Collected Poems. Carcanet, Manchester.
  
• Walcott D. (1986) Collected Poems 1948-1984. Faber and Faber, London.
  
• Alexander P.F. (2000) Les Murray – A life in progress. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  
• King B. (2000) Derek Walcott – A Caribbean Life. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  
• O’Donoghue B. (ed) (2009). The Cambridge Companion to Seamus Heaney. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  
• Redshaw T.D. (2004) Well Dreams - Essays on John Montague. Creighton University Press, Omaha.
  

Suggested Websites

• Poetry Archive http://poetryarchive.org
  
• Poetry Ireland http://poetryireland.ie
  
• Poetry Library http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk

* Additional readings will be given for each unit of learning.