Poetry

Trauma can shut us down; writing poems can help free us to open up again. This workshop will present some of the many ways poetry has helped writers both heal trauma and prevent post-traumatic stress syndrome. Guided by an internationally published poet and health journalist, you will explore the science behind this and learn a range of techniques, immediately putting several of them to use in drafting new work. The workshop includes reading and discussion of time-honored poems, close attention to emotional and sensory aspects of poetry, several in-class writing exercises, and feedback on poems for those who wish to share them. (NOTE: All sharing is optional. This workshop is not a substitute for therapy.)

Writing Yourself into a Person Your Poetry Can Be Proud Of is a workshop about using poetry not only to document your life, but to deepen your attention, integrity, and creative presence within it. Each week, participants will read and discuss poems that model artistic courage, self-examination, and transformation, alongside generative writing exercises designed to help them develop their own voice and habits of observation. Sessions will combine close reading, guided writing prompts, voluntary sharing, and constructive discussion in a supportive workshop environment. By the end of the workshop, participants will have produced a portfolio of new poems and a clearer understanding of the relationship between the life they live and the art they create. Preparation for the first class: Please bring one poem you admire and one poem of your own (published or unpublished) that feels representative of where you are as a writer right now.

When you have an idea for a poem but aren’t sure where to start, try a triolet. This eight-line framework can become a powerful poem, or a stanza in a larger one. We’ll start by reading time-honored triolets to see how and why they work. Next we’ll write one together, then individually, with time at the end for feedback.