Dive into Poetry – Ongoing Group

This is an ongoing group of 4 sessions that sold out but there is one spot left for the last two sessions 8th August & 12 Sept.

The most enjoyable way to share and learn poetry is in a regular small group. You can choose to do just the one hour monthly poetry reading group or you can choose the longer reading and writing poetry session monthly.

We have a place for one person to join for the last TWO workshops for someone who wants to read and write poetry. Ideal if you have a little bit of writing experience, or if you haven’t you should fit in fine too.

13 June, 11 July, 8 Aug, 12 Sept

10.30am UK // 5.30pm Western Standard Time Australia // 7.30pm Eastern Standard Time Australia

1 hour poetry reading group (you can choose just this half)

15 mins break

then 1.5 hours writing group, maximum 10 people (2.45 hours in total)

COST:

reading group only = £40 (all four sessions)
reading and writing = £100 (all four sessions)

£50 for the last two sessions

READING POETRY

In the first part of the workshop we will tackle a theme or poet each month with an inspiring batch of poems sent in advance. We’ll look in depth at the poems, poets and poetic technique with expert guidance. It’s an ideal ‘book club’ – you don’t need to read a whole book (although I can recommend books) and the discussions are rich and life-nurturing.

READING & WRITING POETRY

If you are interested in writing poetry as well, then after a 15mins break we write together and share our writing for 1.5 hours. Each week we will discuss approaches and techniques to writing poems, share our writing and you’ll be given an assignment for the following week. This is designed to kick off a poetry writing practice.

You can take these workshops whether or not you have done the foundation workshop, but you might want to consider doing the Foundation Workshop first (not essential).

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR

Australian Cath Drake’s collection ‘The Shaking City’ (Seren Books), highly commended in the 2020 Forward Prizes, was described by Philip Gross as ‘a guide to staying clear-eyed, combative and caring in unsettling times.’. It follows ‘Sleeping with Rivers’ which won the Seren/Mslexia poetry pamphlet prize and was a Poetry Book Society choice. Cath’s prizes include a second in the 2017 Resurgence Poetry School eco-poetry prize (now called Ginkgo) and highly commended in 2019. She teaches writing in the UK, Australia and online. She’s an award-winning journalist and nonfiction writer and also a mindfulness teacher.

… a good poem creates an enchantment … a sudden surge of curiosity, interest, emotion, a momentary spell of heightened awareness, heightened emotional vulnerability, heightened imaginative sensitivity … I try to create a room in which something important is happening, will happen or has happened.

Poet, Dana Gioia

Poetry enriches our lives. It helps us express our shared humanity. Conversations about poetry are some of the most rewarding and enjoyable I’ve ever had.