Group Course 
8 weeks
every thursday 6pm bst
start date: 8th may 2025

This eight-week introductory course explores radical poetry in the context of revolutionary struggles for liberation. We will examine historical and contemporary poems that have emerged from movements resisting capitalism and imperialism. 

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Poetry is often stereotyped as solitary and detached from everyday life, but this course challenges that notion. We will focus on poetry that burst out from collective struggle — poems that echo through armed uprisings and resistance, labour movements and strikes, and abolitionist campaigns.

Each hour-long session will provide historical context on a particular movement, followed by discussions on the poems that emerged from these struggles. Sessions will also feature writing exercises and prompts.

A key theme of the course is the solidarity that connects these global struggles. We will examine how anti-colonial words penned by Irish freedom fighters during the Easter Rising resurfaced in Rojava and Palestine solidarity encampments on US college campuses over a century later.

By the end of the course, each participant will have developed greater confidence in writing poetry and a deeper understanding of poetry’s role in radical movements.

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The course is led by Oli Isaac, an award-winning writer based in London. They are an alumnus of writing collectives at Soho Theatre, the Roundhouse, and the Barbican Centre, and a current member of Barbican Creatives in Solidarity with Palestine (BCSP). Oli believes that poetry, at its core, is about being in the world - it bridges gaps where everyday language fails, forges connections, and reveals the solidarity often hidden from us.

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This course is open to beginners - no prior experience with poetry is required. Those with more experience are also welcome. Expect a gentle, low-pressure learning environment.

Join us for an exploration of radical poetry that connects past and present struggles, inspires action, and reclaims language for liberation.

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The course will start on Thursday, 8th May, with hour-long sessions taking place between 6pm - 7pm (BST) every following Thursday for eight weeks.  A taster session the week prior, on Thursday, 1st May, will be available for those interested. All sessions will take place online, and all written materials will be provided to students ahead of class.