Creating Poetry from Family History
From epic tales of migration to intimate childhood cameos, family history can provide rich and challenging material for poets. How do time, perspective, character, form, and questions of truth and authority affect a writer’s efforts to turn private family experiences into poetry that is meaningful beyond the familial circle?
This workshop explores the unique pleasures and perils of bringing family memories and members to life in verse. Participants will investigate how a variety of poets, such as Natasha Tretheway, Martha Collins, Li-Young Lee, Beth Bachman, Suji Kwock Kim, and Louise Glück, have approached family-inspired writing, engage in a series of writing exercises, and provide supportive feedback on each other’s work. Attendees are welcome to bring works-in-progress or concentrate on generating new material.
Kirun Kapur’s second collection, Women in the Waiting Room, was a finalist for the National Poetry Series and is forthcoming from Black Lawrence Press (2020). She is the winner of the Arts & Letters Rumi Prize in Poetry and the Antivenom Poetry Award for her first book, Visiting Indira Gandhi’s Palmist (Elixir Press, 2015). Her work has appeared in AGNI, Poetry International, Prairie Schooner, Ploughshares, and many other journals. She serves as poetry editor at The Drum Literary Magazine and currently teaches at Amherst College.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via PayPal. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel.
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Hannah Perry at hannah@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print the registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer two full scholarships to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Application Due on April 27 at 9:00 a.m.
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