ASYNCHRONOUS with LIVE elements

“Through the window of the school/the map of Asia could be seen…” wrote the French poet and judge Jean Follain (translated here by Heather McHugh). Too often we are at a loss for what to write about, thinking that our subjects must be grand or address some supreme truth. However, the world around us is vast and brimming with events which can lead us to greater intimacy and deeper insight and help us find joy in the unadorned and humble, “the insects [on the map making] their way from the Indus to the Armour River.” What events occur around you every day that you don’t think are significant? How do we uncover the poetry in the mundane? What makes a poem memorable versus simply a list of quirky observations? This generative workshop will address these questions and urge us to create a habit of close looking, slow seeing, and deep engagement with the world we inhabit. It will include writing prompts, close reading practice, approaches to editing and always an opportunity to share the work we write.

Readings will include poems by Nazim Hikmet, Jean Follain, Jean Valentine, Ross Gay, Patrick Rosal, Aracelis Girmay, and others. Please note that this is a rigorous workshop with assignments or exercises due every other day. Participants will be expected to generate work while also devoting time to giving feedback to their peers.

Optional LIVE elements: an initial Zoom meeting on the first day and a reading at the end of the week.