Rooted in values of interconnectedness and reverence for nature, this generative poetry workshop invites poets of all experience levels to:
Cultivate a community of writers inspired by nature
Read and reflect on nature poetry from diverse traditions
Practice writing poems exploring connection to nature through exercises
Participants may choose to attend all three classes in the series ($120) or choose one class to attend (March 12, 19, 26).
During each session, we will start with getting to know one another, including the identities and experiences which shape us as humans and writers and our goals for writing. We will read several poems centered around themes of nature, drawing from poets from various gender identities, cultural, and geographic backgrounds and reflect on what topical and craft choices resonated with us and ideas to incorporate into our own writing. In addition to the poems we discuss in class, we’ll also have a shared document where we can cultivate a shared resource library of poets, books, journals, podcasts, and other nature-inspired poetry resources at any point during or after the workshop.
We will also participate in a few short, generative exercises to practice various techniques of writing nature-inspired poetry. The aim of these exercises is to have fun discovering new possibilities on the page rather than to critique “polished” poems, and any feedback that we offer in the class will be geared at appreciating the strengths and seeds within each draft and suggestions for cultivating these seeds further in future drafts.
yellowarrowpublishing.com/workshop-sign-up/march-12-19-26-cultivating-seeds
When: 1:00-3:00 pm EST
March 12, March 19, March 26
Cost: $120 (for all three sessions) or $40 for one session
Where: Zoom (link provided after registration)
Class Size: 20 participants
About the instructor:
Raga Ayyagari is a poet who is inspired by nature, family history and culture, and unexpected moments of connection. Her work has previously appeared in the Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Yellow Arrow Journal, and Stanford University Leland Quarterly Journal, and she has shared poetry at various readings in the Washington, D.C. area. She works as a public health research analyst and enjoys technical and creative writing.