A 5 Week HYBRID Poetry Workshop
Tuesdays, May 7 through 28 and June 11
ALL LEVELS
We all want things for our poems–we envision the shapes they will take, the worlds they will contain, the feelings they will evoke, the lives they will make once they leave our desks. But a poet often finds the poem, as its coming into being, seemingly wanting to become its own thing, take off in unexpected directions. What we were asking the poem to be is not what the poem seems to want to become.
Larry Levis has a lovely poem playing with this phenomenon: “The Poem You Asked For.” He writes, “Finally I cupped it in // my hands, and carried it gently / out into the soft air, into the / evening traffic, wondering how // to end things between us.” Levis’s body of work offers an interesting study in this tension between strong poetic vision and a willingness to listen to what each poem wants to become.
In this 5-week workshop, we’ll spend time writing and reading under the influence of Levis. We’ll read a selection of poems by Levis that model this push and pull between his recurring obsessions and the unique being of each poem. We’ll also look at selections by poets indebted to Levis in differing ways: Ciaran Berry, Kathleen Graber, Terrance Hayes, Anna Journey, and John Murillo. Finally, we’ll craft our own new works and discuss them with each other–exploring what we want our poems to become, and how to attend to what they tell us about what they’re becoming–what we must learn to listen for, attend to, cultivate.
In each class, we’ll talk about the readings, do in-class writing, and discuss each other’s responses to weekly poem prompts (loosely) inspired by Levis.
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will occur EITHER IN-PERSON or ONLINE via Zoom. Students do not need to create an account to participate, but should test out Zoom before their class if they are first-time users. The week of the workshop, students will be emailed a link that they may click to enter the class.
+ REQUIRED EQUIPMENT A reliable, fast internet connection (broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE), speakers & a microphone (built-in or USB plug-in), and a webcam (built-in or USB plug-in).
If you would like to quickly and easily test your internet connection and your computer’s compatibility with Zoom, click HERE. Full details on supported Operating Systems, internet browsers, and more can be found HERE. To download and familiarize yourself with Zoom, click HERE.
Colin Cheney is a poet, writer, and composer. He is the author of Here Be Monsters, a National Poetry Series selection. His poems have appeared in publications such as AGNI, American Poetry Review, Gettysburg Review, The Kenyon Review, Ploughshares, and Poetry. Cheney has received a Pushcart Prize and a Ruth Lilly Fellowship. He is creator and co-host of the podcast Poet in Bangkok and a founding editor of Tongue: A Journal of Writing & Art. He has taught writing at New York University, the City University of Hong Kong, the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at Maine College of Art & Design, and Colby College. He serves on the school board for the town of Freeport. He composes electroacoustic music, including the score for the Werner Herzog produced documentary film, The Arc of Oblivion.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. 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. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact programs@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
$275 Members/$475 Nonmembers
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one partial scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Email programs@mainewriters.org to see if the scholarship is still available. Application Due by March 12 at 9:00 a.m.
→ MORE INFORMATION
MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION