All workshops and the discussion on craft, held concurrently and
beginning promptly
at 11:00 a.m., are free and open to the public.
Participants should bring paper
and a writing implement.
Spells and Chants—conducted by Judy Rowe Michaels § Room 226
Word Power Poetry Workshop—conducted by Nancy Mercado § Dance Studio
In this
workshop, participants will be expected to write poems based on various prompts
and to share their poetry with workshop members by reading it aloud. The
instructor will provide constructive guidance to the writer for further
polishing his/her work.
The Architecture of Free Verse—conducted by Charles H. Johnson § Room 227
Free verse is designed to fit
the poet’s emotions just as the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house,
“Fallingwater,” conforms to the environment in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. Workshop
attendees will use the foundational poetic
devices of metaphor and simile to
allow their free verse to spill from the natural confines of the words
composing it.
Writing and Accident—conducted by Jack Wiler § DuBois Theater (Backstage)
This workshop
will consist of a discussion of the roots of poetry and two periods of
composition. The first period will be brief, perhaps five minutes, followed by
a discussion; the second will be longer, resulting in a more finished piece.
The focus will be on freeing the writer from “plans” and “topics.” Mr. Wiler
writes, “I will touch on issues such as censorship, why we write, and the path
of a poet’s life. God knows what I can say about that.”
Fueling Emotional Power in Poetry: Finding Fire in
Restraint —conducted by Edwin Romond § Art Studio
This workshop
will examine how less can be more in dealing with extreme emotion in poetry.
Both novice and seasoned poets alike must grapple with the temptation to let
emotion smother their poems. By briefly examining some examples followed by a
writing experience, members of this workshop will explore the power that comes
from the subtle, the restrained, and the understated in poetry.
Starting with the Actual—conducted by Jim Haba § Music Room
We will try to
generate writing that works directly from our experience of the physical world,
unmediated by our powerful naming and identifying skills. What do we see when
we look out? What do we hear? What do we feel when our skin comes into contact
with anything? Etc.
A Discussion on Craft
We’ll
talk briefly about the history of shame concerning the female body in
literature and religion, and look at how women poets write from the body.
Instead of looking for escape from the body, women often go into the body for
revelation. Writers we’ll look at will include Elizabeth Bishop, Adrienne Rich,
Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, and Lucille Clifton.
Funding in part
has been provided by a Special Project Grant from the New Jersey State Council
on the Arts.
All facilities
comply with ADA regulations and are fully accessible. Call (908) 453-4381 for
more information.