The determination with which these women live their lives and practice suggests something else, and I'm grateful for their inspiration. In 2018, Linda, Katrinka, Dianne and I each had out new books of poetry, which took us on the road as we gave readings in Vermont and Rensselaerville.īridging poetry and "the real world," I marvel at the extent to which workshop members are active in their communities, in their personal and professional lives and manage to commit to a practice of poetry. Some of us traveled to the Hobart Festival of Women Writers this year others met at the Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark, New Jersey. In addition to our monthly meetings, we keep up with classes, conferences and reading series' that inform our practice. Linda launched an afternoon of nature poetry with Katrinka Moore that featured eco-poetics. She spearheaded an event, "Poetry of Witness, Poetry of Courage," in Rensselaearville that brought together an inclusive range of voices from the region (including several workshop members). Linda Miller actively promotes poetry in the larger community. Review: Frank's in Colonie winning combo of Italian food and ice cream (separately)Įach embodies what it means to be a poet in her own way.Churchill: Albany's bus station still a regional disgrace.Table Hopping round-up: Clifton Park Druthers now due in October, and more news.DNA testing confirms gray wolf killed near Cooperstown.Reduced to rubble: Upstate NY's defunct theme parks.Not easy subjects under the best of circumstances but even more challenging in art. My poems often deal with difficult subjects - war, discrimination, racism. Marea's quirky sense of humor often lends itself to poems that speak to more-ominous issues. Phyllis writes about family Philomena, about the state of the planet Dianne, the wisdom of traditional indigenous elders that she spent time with. The range of subjects that we write about reflect our varied experiences and interests. But at least these poets are willing to grapple with experimentation and have the courage to be honest in their responses. I like to explore white space on the page and play with words. Ellen Rook rewrites a fairy tale with a frankly adult sensibility. Susan Riback brings a playfulness - recently, with a poem inspired by a collage. The group encourages each other to have confidence in our efforts. Yet, I know any effort will be met with tact. I never outgrow the tinge of nervousness when faced with a new form. The challenge is issued in a good-spirited manner - as a way to grow, not as a competition. Marea Gordett challenged each of us to try our hand at it. Recently Dianne presented a poem in the form of a pantoum, a Malay form from the 15th century. The workshop is a place where we can experiment with form, style, subject. That, I believe, is one of our strengths. We don't always agree with each other, but everyone's opinions are respected. There is an atmosphere of trust because each of us has made a commitment to the group. The work can be a rough draft usually the poet has questions. This discussion is both aesthetic and technical - sometimes parsing out language and meaning other times, exploring revision strategies. "What's all this juice and all this joy/bounding spirit in the bone-house?"Īfter a few minutes catching up on each other's lives, travels, family and the world, we settle down to listen to, read, and discuss each other's work. Each adds to a dynamic group of skilled poets - a continuing source of inspiration to me. Phyllis Hillinger, one of the original members is still in the group, while Marion and others have moved on. The spirit of nurturing growth became a hallmark of this workshop and one of the reasons I think it's still going strong.
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