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Department of English Language and Literature course sparks artistic and academic inspiration on Beaver Island
For the third summer in a row, the Department of English Language and Literature offered a weeklong course at the Central Michigan University Biological Station on Beaver Island.
Taught by faculty member Robert Fanning, ENG 513AZ: “Wonder and Wander: Creative Writing in Nature,” allows students to experience nature through a creative lens. Students begin each day with meditation, before spending mornings reading and writing nature-inspired poetry. In the afternoon comes the wandering.
“Afternoons are for exploration on the island, and for finding more great places to write,” said Fanning. “Wandering on trails and on beaches is a big part of the work, and the fun.”
Fanning’s course is arranged around a different theme each day, as students read and discuss dozens of poems and write beginning drafts based on prompts given by their professor. In addition to visiting natural sites like Lake Genesareth and Iron Ore Bay, students also studied landmarks such as the Beaver Island Lighthouse, and the Print Shop and Museum, where they engaged with Beaver Island’s fascinating history.
Mia Bommarito, a St. Clair Junior majoring in Teaching English Language Arts and minoring in Outdoor & Environmental Education, found her perspectives on nature, writing, and history expand due to the experience.
“Finding my place within a wonderfully diverse historic and natural land has opened up the way I understand our relationship with nature and with those who have come before us,” she said. “A raw connection with gorgeous nature, paired with the exploration of a rich and troubling history, wrapped up in the camaraderie of once-strangers allowed this class to be a breeding ground for literary analysis, connection, and communication. I hope to carry the lessons, knowledge, and art of this island with me as I enter another school year and eventually my own classroom.”
This year, ENG 513AZ reached its maximum three years as a “special topics” course. However, Fanning submitted a proposal for the course to become a permanent fixture as a curricular offering in the Department of English, which he hopes will be approved this year.
“This course provides an invaluable experience—the chance to study nature-inspired literature and writing while being immersed in the natural world,” said Fanning. “Students leave the island changed.”
This year’s course featured a mix of students taking the course for credit and others taking the course as a workshop. However, all the students reported being deeply inspired by their week on the island.
“I loved this class, and now I can consider myself a creative writer, which is a very exciting addition to my skills,” said Biology major Emily Guiles, a senior from Milford.
She said she looks forward to submitting her new poems to literary journals to pursue publication.
“This course reshaped how I think about writing from a process held tightly in rules into a freeing, contemplative experience. It is truly open to all skill levels. If you have a keen curiosity about the natural world you will find that you can't stop writing down your thoughts, emotions and experiences.”
Margaret Lucas, a resident of Columbus, Ohio, took the class as a non-credit workshop. On the last day of the course, she shared with her classmates that this experience helped restore her “true voice.” Years ago, she embarked on a career as a Physician’s Assistant, leaving her love and pursuit of literature and writing behind.
“I came to the CMU Biological Station because of the island’s natural tranquility,” said Lucas. “However, the course material and the instruction in nature poetry woke up a voice in me that I forgot that I had. This course, this professor, and this place will keep me refreshed for just about a year, then I will need to return.”
For those interested in learning more about this course and others offered on Beaver Island, visit the CMU Biological Station website. Those interested in other Creative Writing courses on campus, will find more information on the Department of English Language and Literature website.
