This post is for Terra, who asked.
The Poetry Discussion Group I attend is one of the Burlington Writers' Workshops events. It's open to anyone with interest is discussing poetry, but since space is limited and also to facilitate good discussion there is a sign up procedure and the group is limited to 12.
The woman who leads the group sends out a theme to those who are signed up for the Saturday morning (10:30 to 12:30) discussion. Themes can be things like celebrations or sense of place, etc. Participants select a poem by any poet that is related to that theme in whatever way is personally meaningful. The poems are read out loud and whoever selected the piece can talk about why it was picked and others can respond with their own reactions. It's a good way to be exposed to new poets and different ways of interpreting a poem.
After everyone has read, the leader gives a prompt and we spend about 20 minutes writing. At the end anyone who wants to share what they have written can, but it is not a requirement or even an expectation.
There is always tea, coffee, and water available. Sometimes there are cookies.
I enjoy this group. The only downside is that finding a parking space in downtown Burlington can be the pits. I need to learn to take the bus instead of thinking I can just hop in my car. It would be far cheaper for one thing and probably less aggravating than driving around in constant road construction.
The Poetry Discussion Group I attend is one of the Burlington Writers' Workshops events. It's open to anyone with interest is discussing poetry, but since space is limited and also to facilitate good discussion there is a sign up procedure and the group is limited to 12.
The woman who leads the group sends out a theme to those who are signed up for the Saturday morning (10:30 to 12:30) discussion. Themes can be things like celebrations or sense of place, etc. Participants select a poem by any poet that is related to that theme in whatever way is personally meaningful. The poems are read out loud and whoever selected the piece can talk about why it was picked and others can respond with their own reactions. It's a good way to be exposed to new poets and different ways of interpreting a poem.
After everyone has read, the leader gives a prompt and we spend about 20 minutes writing. At the end anyone who wants to share what they have written can, but it is not a requirement or even an expectation.
There is always tea, coffee, and water available. Sometimes there are cookies.
I enjoy this group. The only downside is that finding a parking space in downtown Burlington can be the pits. I need to learn to take the bus instead of thinking I can just hop in my car. It would be far cheaper for one thing and probably less aggravating than driving around in constant road construction.
I used to write Haiku as a teenager, but now I don't write poetry at all. Your group sounds very nice.
ReplyDeleteI too love poetry, but outside of writing some Haiku while on retreats in past years, don't delve into it much anymore. But your poetry group does sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like an intellectually stimulating activity. That's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of my writers group which was very mentally stimulating. I use to come back from them fired up. Wish we would start up again.
ReplyDeleteI would like the poetry group for I really have little understanding of the craft.
Very interesting. I belonged to a fiction writers group but it was across town so I eventually dropped out. I don't know a lot about poetry. Kind of like art, I know what I like. I would enjoy taking a poetry writing course that explained more about it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful event. I love it.
ReplyDelete