THE THIN LINE: Prose Poems and Flash Fiction with Albert DeGenova

Both forms — prose poetry and short short fiction — require close attention to language, imagery, and sound. There are certainly similarities. This workshop will explore the thin line between the two forms with examples and short exercises. Let’s raid the borders of poetry and prose. In flash fiction there are visual immersions, or abstract and unexpected connections. All this feels a lot like poetry — and yet, flash differs from poetry because at the heart of each flash fiction is a story, a small narrative that takes the reader into a whole world. But what about works that are generally accepted as prose poems and yet have a narrative? This workshop intends to create a sense of where to find which side of the line a work resides in, whether intentional by the writer or not.

Al DeGenova is an award-winning poet, teacher and marketing professional from the Chicago area. He has written six books (with a seventh forthcoming in 2024 from Kelsay books), founded After Hours Press, and is co-editor of After Hours magazine, a journal of Chicago Writing and art. He serves now as the Executive Director of Write On, Door County.