Why does poetry matter?  How can it save us?  And how are the tools of poetry applicable to all writing genres? Let me count the ways…  In this workshop you will write poetry to reveal truths and secrets; you will write fears and longing; and you will inspire imagination and joy. “Poetry is the piano of literature,” YA author Jason Reynolds says. “If you can play the piano then you understand how to play anything.” In this session, you will read poems to learn why they move us, looking at form, meter, sound, rhythm and rhyme, line breaks, visual and emotional impact, and you will complete writing prompts independently and as a group to share. Some of the poets you’ll read include Mary Oliver, Ocean Vuong, Tupac, Sherman Alexie, Jason Reynolds, Nikki Giovanni, Robert Lowell, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, e.e. cummings, and any poems that students bring to our workshop. This workshop is for students who wish to develop their skills and art with an eye to becoming practicing poets, in addition to writers who want to get in on the magic of poetry and apply new skills to their own work. You will establish a working community where we offer constructive criticism in a supportive environment. Please bring a tablet, laptop or journal for writing.

Students will learn the basics of the poetic craft and leave with 3 poems from haikus to parts of a novel in verse, and a better understanding of why poetry matters.

For writers age 13 - 18 ONLY. Register here!