Workshop lessons and messages

Rounding off our workshop

The last "lesson" already of our workshop. During this week the target of opening up buried emotions was broadened to writing poetry in general. But the emotional component was nevertheless very prominent in the poems you wrote, so we could say that the original purpose of this workshop was never totally out of sight.
We soon had to establish that the phrase "emotional poetry" for expressing strong emotions in free verse was misleading, as it gives the impression of beautiful and perhaps romantic poetry. The description "confessional poetry" proved more suitable in my idea.
My feeling is that we didn't teach you much, but if we could have helped you all a bit on the way of writing poetry, than at least we have achieved a small something. We've seen a lot of talent in all four of you, each in his own way. It would be wonderful if you wouldn't stop here, but would go on developing your poetic talents and ambitions. Be it in the form of freely expressing your emotions in a free verse poem or picking up the more traditional poetry with rhyme and meter, such as a sonnet.

We've seen you successfully write beautiful poems, based on your fifteen minutes of free writing. Do you think this is a method you could employ more often, to reach to your inner self and to express that what you found?
To me it came as a surprise to see how well the free writing worked. I feel tempted to use it myself again, as I'm often just feeling a vague urge to write something, but don't have a clear idea what. From your results I've learned that I should just sit down and write and go from there.

Let's try to use this last lesson to more firmly put you all on the track of writing poetry. Though I can imagine that it won't look easy to have to write one more poem in these last two days of the workshop. We'll keep the assignment flexible, so that you can adjust it to the time and energy-level you have left.

The tools of poetry will be put in a separate post. Thus they'll be more easy to find and this first part of the lesson can be posted earlier.



Assignment

We would like to see you write one more poem. Again you are totally free where length and form are concerned or you can write two to four stanza's of 4 to eight lines length each.
You have three options to build your poem on:
-use the theme of your previous poem and go more in the depth
-use your previous piece of free writing and find a new theme in it or a variation on the theme of your previous poem
-sit down for another episode of 15 minutes of free writing and find a theme in it.



Inviting some thoughts and posts

What does Confessional Poetry do that other poetry doesn't? What does other poetry have that is lacking in Confessional Poetry?
Can you foresee yourself writing more confessional poems or would you continue on the way of writing poetry in general? Or perhaps did you find writing a poem such a struggle, that it's once, but never again?



Contests

Dutch Kuttner brought the contest under my attention which he and his brother organize together. It's perfectly suited for the type of poetry you've written here. Perhaps you could send in your freshly written poems, get a few extra reviews and who knows collect a prize....
This is the link:

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and eh, a bit of shameless advertising for the contest of my co-workshop-leader (she didn't ask for it, but i thought you all might like to know it and spread the news). It's a contest for developing a character, based on a choice of three different character-prompts. Deadline March 31.

The Ventriloquist CLOSED  (18+) Short story contest, based on character prompts, focusing on voice #1217844 by Anne Light

Tomorrow evening will officially be the closing-time of the workshop, but writing a poem can be difficult and time-consuming. So you can take your time to post it. We'll review it, if it's posted before April 1st. The forum will also remain open for any question or remark or a new poem you would like to share.
Perhaps your spirit is a bit low after the effort of the first poem, but writing at least one more poem could be crucial in making you believe in your poetic talents. So please give it a try!

Wishing you strength and a great write,
Anne & Maria




"Love for all, hatred for none."

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