Poetry: Giving Voice to Our Spiritual Quest

Poetry: Giving Voice To Our Spiritual Quest

This writing/ reflection session is for poets who explore spirituality as part of their writing practice.  Each participant defines spirituality based on their unique experience and insights, and that diversity enriches the session.  During the session, each participant will (1) share one example from a poet they admire who writes on spiritual themes, (2) offer one of their own spiritually-themed poems, and (3) draft a new poem using a prompt. Together, we will draw out the key features of religious or spiritual poetry that surface in our conversation.

9:30 a.m-2:00 p.m.

Cost: $30 (includes lunch)

 

9:30     Open with a gathering poem.

9:40     People introduce themselves with a poem by another author and why it was chosen.

10:30   Gather ideas

10:45   Break

11:00   Partner Reading: Take turns reading a personal poem and describing its significance. Listener Guidelines:

What did I hear in my partner’s poem?
What words or phrases stand out? What images/metaphors?
What would help me better understand the poem?

11:20   Discussion: Add to gathered ideas about spiritual poetry

12:00   Lunch

12:45   Writing:  Using prompt as start, draft a “new poem”

1:15     Read around.  Summary of learnings.

1:50     End with closing poem