Alive Poetry!

“Poetry is not an intellectual puzzle to be solved, or a wall to be scaled to reach the garden of meaning,” says instructor Alison Luterman. “Good poetry can produce a physical reaction in the body. Some people gasp, others feel chills, a rush of tears, a snort of laughter, or just a pressure and warmth in the heart. Poetry can move people, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.”

In this workshop we’ll look at some poems that seem to leap off the page into our bloodstream. We’ll read them out loud, savor them, and talk about the risk and presence and eros that give them their power. We’ll also focus on using vivid and precise imagery and taking emotional risks in our own drafts.

“One secret to writing alive poetry lies in risking saying the awkward thing, or venturing outside whatever limits you’ve put around your voice,” says Alison. “We’ll create a brave community together that will allow us to break some new ground for ourselves. The choice to share or not to share with the group is yours to make; nothing is forced. And it doesn’t matter if you have a PhD in literature or have just discovered the power of poetry—you are welcome here with your voice and breath and heart.”