Staff Associate Director, Master of Bioethics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Abstract: This workshop is an introduction to writing metered poetry, song lyrics, and music about bioethical issues. It will also explore how bioethicists can use music and verse to make their messages more powerful. Bioethics has much to contribute across a wide range of issues, and how we communicate those messages matters. The main outlet for bioethics is prose: op-eds, academic articles, and lectures. But prose has its limitations for getting a point across, especially when issues are nuanced and emotionally charged. Music and poetry have the potential to fill these gaps. Communicating with music and verse makes messages more memorable, accessible, and engaging, harnessing emotions to drive action. We will discuss how music and verse can aid communication, listen to some examples, then work on creating our own poetry or lyrics. Participants of all musical and poetic abilities are encouraged to join.
Keywords: Songwriting and poetry, Creative communication in bioethics
Learning Objectives:
After participating in this conference, attendees should be able to:
By the end of this session, attendees will appreciate how and why music and poetry can be used in bioethics.
By the end of this session, attendees will understand the basics of meter and rhyme in song and poetry.
In this session, attendees will practice writing their own poetry or lyrics about themes in bioethics that are important to them.
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