Workshops:

Blues Poems: Borrowing From Song To Write About What’s Wrong
This poetry workshop focuses on teaching students about the African American oral tradition and the musical tradition of blues poetry. The blues are often about struggle and depression but they are also full of determination to overcome difficulty “through sheer toughness of spirit.” This resilience in the face of hardship is one of the hallmarks of the blues poem. Classic and contemporary rhythm and blues music will serve as inspiration for the students’ poems. Through guided exercises and independent writing, students will explore the themes and structure of blues poetry and develop their own unique voices in this genre.

By the end of the workshop, students will have completed a blues poem of their own and gained a deeper appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of blues music and poetry.

The Poetics of Liberation: Looking Back To Envision The Future
In this poetry workshop, students will discover how looking back at our past can help us see our future. Through guided exercises and independent writing, students will answer the questions of how do poets write liberatory futures into being. How do poets use language to disrupt an unjust world and what language is helpful in discussing a writer’s craft?

By the end of the workshop, students will have completed a poem of their own and gain a deeper understanding of their own liberation.

What is a poem? Writing Towards a Wilder Definition of Poetry
The goal of this poetry workshop is NOT to define poetry, but rather to redefine it. To shift it beyond the expectations of the students and in doing so to make poetry something that any student might create.

By the end of the workshop, students will have completed a poem of their own, redefined what poetry is for them, and gained more confidence in their own writing skills.