During these eight weeks, we will draft and develop poems that tap the surprise of tension and release, tease out what’s wild in the everyday, refresh expectation and sharpen expression. 

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Description

Eight Thursdays, Oct 10-Nov 28, 6-8pm
Open to all
Limited to 12 participants
Hybrid Workshop*

The tiny sea in the ear 
and the moth wing in the mind, which wait. 
— Don McKay, “Early Instruments” 

This workshop invites participants to explore our “early instruments” of imagination and experience through the language of poetry. 

“The excitement of metaphor,” writes Don McKay, “stems from the injection of wilderness into language.” Add to this idea the excitement of any element of poetic making. 

During these eight weeks, we will draft and develop poems that tap the surprise of tension and release, tease out what’s wild in the everyday, refresh expectation and sharpen expression. 

In each session, we will respond to each other’s poems and work with one or more prompts. In most sessions we will look briefly at a strong contemporary poem and consider what we might borrow from it as a springboard to our writing.

All levels of experience are welcome. 

*This workshop will take place at the QWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Westmount, Quebec) with up to 2 virtual spots for participants who are unable to attend in-person because of distance or disability. By default, all workshop registrations are for in-person spots. If you can’t attend in person and would like to request a virtual slot, contact Riley at riley@qwf.org and wait for confirmation before registering. Please do not register until after you receive confirmation that there is a virtual spot for you.

Workshop leader

Credit: John Steffler
Susan Gillis (she/her) has taught Creative Writing at Concordia University and John Abbott College, and has led poetry workshops with QWF, Los Parronales (Chile), Blue Met, in schools and in the community. Her four books have been nominated for several awards; Volta (2002) was awarded the A.M. Klein Prize. She is a founding member of the collaborative poetry group Yoko’s Dogs (Whisk, 2013; Rhinoceros, 2016; Caution Tape, 2021). Her most recent book is Yellow Crane (Brick 2018). She works as a freelance editor and mentor.

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