What was your primary motivation for purchasing this course?
Pursue a hobby
“Embarking on this course illuminated a profound truth: I am not merely a writer; I am a poet. Long-form prose does not captivate me; instead, the brevity and depth of poetry resonate within. In retirement, I have wandered through lectures on novel writing and screenplays, feeling adrift. Yet, within this course, I found my true calling.
Barely halfway through the lessons, inspiration struck, rekindling my two-decade-long dalliance with haiku. Two quotes, highlighted by Carol Ann Duffy, ignited this creative spark:
1. “All memory is imagination.” — James Joyce
2. “Inspiration will find you, but only if you’re working.” — Pablo Picasso
In Carol Ann Duffy, I discovered a mentor whose insights felt like home. Her guidance reaffirmed my identity as a poet.
One suggestion for future courses: display the poems as they are read. The visual structure—the form and shape—is integral to experiencing poetry fully. Often, I resorted to capturing fleeting glimpses (i.e., screen captures) of poems to appreciate their visual essence. Seeing the poem itself, rather than just the book cover, for example, enriches the experience.
Interestingly, I navigated the lessons non-sequentially, driven by personal interest—a self-guided journey. This approach, however, seemed unrecognized by the app, which didn’t reflect my engagement with each lesson.
Nonetheless, this course has been a revelation, leading me to the joyous realization of my true self: a poet.”
What was your primary motivation for purchasing this course?
Learn a new skill, Pursue a hobby
“Thank you for this thoughtful and engaging course. I found it inspiring as well as informative, and I’ve started reading and writing poetry on a regular basis because of it.”
What was your primary motivation for purchasing this course?
Pursue a hobby, Other
“Thorough & professionally delivered workshops that have enough content to inspire but not too much to overwhelm . I would love to ask Carol Ann Duffy a question. Is there anything that you wouldn’t write a poem about ?”
What was your primary motivation for purchasing this course?
Learn a new skill
“The course I’d bet good. Carol Am Duffy is inspiring, what she says is interesting and the poems she uses as examples are a great source for further reading and thinking.
However the Maestro app is very clunky and not at all intuitive. It can take far too to track down the course I’m doing and I keep getting messages to tell me to sign up - even though I’ve already paid. The poor quality of the app spoils the experience of following a course on Maestro. Other apps (eg all the ones on TV, BBC sounds, Apple Podcasts are much much better. Come on Maestro invest some money and time in the functionality of your app.”
