“& now I have a choice / repair a world or build / a new one inside my body” — Cameron Awkward-Rich

“I think of writing to you / in this way—welcoming / the adventure of it— / & of being wrecked / proper, of being ruined.” — Meg Day

Objective: 

What is poetry? How does it relate to the ever-changing world around us and how do we experience it as individuals day-to-day? What can be discovered in abstraction? How do we let go of our ego to become better readers and writers? 

In this six-session workshop, we will not only write and revise our own poems, but we will examine our relationship to poetry, discover new places to find it, and figure out ways it can provide solace in these strange and trying times. 

This workshop will be both generative and revisionary. We will discuss weekly readings as a group and work our lyrical muscles with interactive exercises. We will operate under the assumption that good writing most often arises from significant engagement with other artistic media, cultural observations, and honest personal reflection, rather than received ideas of how poetry “should” be written. 

Outline:  

This workshop will have six sessions, taking place weekly on Mondays starting April 27th. The first two classes will focus on craft. Participants will receive a crash-course on contemporary poetry with readings from Joy Harjo, Terrance Hayes, Jane Huffman, Li-Young Lee, CAConrad, Alice Notley, David Berman, and many, many more. We will also spend a session reading and discussing classic and contemporary poems written from a place of solitude. All materials will be provided. The goal of these readings will be to help inform and inspire your work while also strengthening your abilities as a reader.

Subsequent classes will be spent workshopping your original poems. We will start each class with a generative writing prompt and opportunities to (voluntarily) share will be afforded to any spare time at the end of the meeting period.  

Workshop: 

All good art comes from a place of vulnerability and openness. The workshop environment is understood to be a safe environment for everyone. In your work, violence of any form targeted at a colleague will not be tolerated. You are allowed to be honest but at the same time are expected to be empathetic, mature, and use your common sense whenever you offer constructive critiques.

Each writer will workshop at least 3 poems. You are to share via email a copy of your poem 3 days before each class session. 

Please read and take notes on each poet’s submission before workshop, and share a copy of your comments and suggestions with the poet after each workshop. 

There will be no page limit, and translations, hybrid, multi-media, or experimental forms are welcome.

Events:

Attending additional Think Olio events is highly encouraged! Each week we will also share other virtual events, readings, happenings, and/or baking, gardening, dance, etc tips.