Description
Eight Tuesdays, Oct 3-Nov 21, 6-8pm
Open to all
Limited to 12 participants
Hybrid Workshop*
This workshop is open to anyone who wishes to spend a few weeks exploring poetry as a genre, whether or not it is your usual genre and regardless of background. I welcome experienced poets who may have a manuscript and some publication credits, writers who only occasionally write a poem or have a few poems they’d like to work with, and writers who have never tried to write poetry but don’t mind reading it. 🙂 I believe that in getting together to look at poems, talk about them, and practice writing them, we all have something to learn from one another about poetry.
To prepare, I suggest that you read some poetry in the week or two before the workshop begins (look for a good fat anthology you can browse around in), choose a poem you find inspiring, bring enough copies for everyone (check with Riley at QWF for the number) to our first meeting and be ready to explain what made you choose it.
My approach is to divide our time between presentation (of participants’ poems) and appreciation of great poems from different periods and traditions, with a view to understanding what gives them their power. We will look at different poetic elements including form, metaphor, image, and voice. We will experiment with some unconventional poetic approaches. I will provide readings and other materials and will assign a variety of exercises (some to be done in session, others at home for those who wish to do them.)
Participants will be responsible for providing each member of the workshop (including the leader) a copy of poem(s) they will present. This can be done by email or by bringing photocopies (my preference), but either way, it should be done a week in advance of presentation.
*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. By default, all workshop registrations are for in-person spots. If you would like to attend the workshop via Zoom, first email Riley ([email protected]) to see if online spots are still available for this workshop, and then wait for confirmation. Virtual spots are limited and are reserved for people who either live outside Montreal or have a medical condition.
