Poetry Workshops
Starting your own workshop:
On the first meeting, have everyone bring one poem to share and a copy of it for each person in the group (about five to seven poets is a good size). Start by explaining the way the workshops works. The first poet will read his/her poem and then someone else from the group will also read it aloud. The facilitator will ask for a volunteer to "walk through" the poem and give an overview of what's happening in the poem. The writer of that poem listens while the others discuss it, learning from how people interpret their work. Ask other questions from the group, like what's working well in the poem, what phrases or images did people like and why. Then find out if there was anything that was confusing or needed more work. After this brief discussion, ask the poet if he/she had any questions for the group. Continue until you have discussed each person's poem.
Next give play a writing game that helps stimulate creativity. Give the instructions and examples of poems similar to the assignment. A good first assignment is an interview poem. Have a list of "getting to know you" questions typed out on a sheet of paper, such as what's your favorite movie, etc. Once they've filled out all the questions, tell them to write a poem with the answers to their questions. Take about 10 minutes to let them write, then have everyone go around again and read their work. To finish up, give then an assignment to work on until the next time you meet with print outs of example of poems.
Other workshop assignments ideas:
1. Write a poem to a famous person
2. Imitate the style of a published poet
3. Pass around pictures of artwork, have everyone write questions about the picture, like "why is that man in blue angry?" Then pass the questions for someone else to answer and have them write a poem with the answers.
4. Big/little poem, with big extremes (we played in the forest called Vermont and rode on the backs of red ants)
5. How to poem, describe the directions of something obscure, like a how to build a sunflower
6. Definition poem
7. Write about an unusual special power
8. Anti-ode poem about something like NYC pigeons
9. Shape poem
10. Poem about a recurring dream
On the first meeting, have everyone bring one poem to share and a copy of it for each person in the group (about five to seven poets is a good size). Start by explaining the way the workshops works. The first poet will read his/her poem and then someone else from the group will also read it aloud. The facilitator will ask for a volunteer to "walk through" the poem and give an overview of what's happening in the poem. The writer of that poem listens while the others discuss it, learning from how people interpret their work. Ask other questions from the group, like what's working well in the poem, what phrases or images did people like and why. Then find out if there was anything that was confusing or needed more work. After this brief discussion, ask the poet if he/she had any questions for the group. Continue until you have discussed each person's poem.
Next give play a writing game that helps stimulate creativity. Give the instructions and examples of poems similar to the assignment. A good first assignment is an interview poem. Have a list of "getting to know you" questions typed out on a sheet of paper, such as what's your favorite movie, etc. Once they've filled out all the questions, tell them to write a poem with the answers to their questions. Take about 10 minutes to let them write, then have everyone go around again and read their work. To finish up, give then an assignment to work on until the next time you meet with print outs of example of poems.
Other workshop assignments ideas:
1. Write a poem to a famous person
2. Imitate the style of a published poet
3. Pass around pictures of artwork, have everyone write questions about the picture, like "why is that man in blue angry?" Then pass the questions for someone else to answer and have them write a poem with the answers.
4. Big/little poem, with big extremes (we played in the forest called Vermont and rode on the backs of red ants)
5. How to poem, describe the directions of something obscure, like a how to build a sunflower
6. Definition poem
7. Write about an unusual special power
8. Anti-ode poem about something like NYC pigeons
9. Shape poem
10. Poem about a recurring dream