OPA Presents Two Poetry Workshops in Medford

2 POETRY WORKSHOPS!!

Saturday, May 12th

Morning session

 

“ANOTHER WAY IN”

with Miles Frode

10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Medford Public Library /Adams Room

Pre-Registration required: Click here

 

Frode will invite participants to explore deeper connections and meaning in their poetry through energetic “word work”.  He will use auditory, visual and tactile examples—as well as playful prompts and tools like juxtapositions, homonyms and synonyms to generate writing during the workshop.  In addition to work created during free–write time, participants will receive handouts to keep for reference when they re-evaluate their relationship with the words they craft.

Frode is a well-known hip–hop rhyme writer who regularly participates in local slam competitions and open mics.  He is also a recognized visual artist, with a current exhibit at Downtowne Coffee House in Talent.

Afternoon session

 

“THE SUBJECT IS SILENCE: RE-THINKING AND RE-WRITING SPIRITUAL POETRY”                        

with Joshua Boettiger

2:30 – 4:30 pm

Medford Public Library /Adams Room

Pre-Registration required: Click here

 

How might one write a meaningful poem exploring the “inner work” of spiritual concerns or experience without relying on abstract place–holder words like soul, spiritual, sacred, grace and God? What does it even mean when we talk about, “Spiritual Poetry?”

In this workshop, Boettiger’s goal is to “pull the rug out from under our assumptions and reframe the conversation.  We will look at examples from the great poets of spiritual life, some well-known and beloved (Li Young-Lee, Jane Hirshfield) and some less-known and more surprising (Ilya Kaminsky, CD Wright, Ross Gay). Based on identifying what works—we will engage in writing exercises and prompts or challenges with the intent of generating original work within the workshop itself —and also sending you home with additional raw material to work with.”

Boettiger’s poems and essays have appeared in ParabolaSan Pedro River Review, and Zeek. He is a contributing author to the forthcoming anthology The Many Voices of Liminality, and he is completing an MFA in Poetry at Pacific University in June, 2018. He is also a rabbi, and a teacher of Mussar (Jewish Ethics), Meditation, and Hebrew Poetry. He has had original liturgy published in different settings.

Sponsored by the Rogue Valley Chapter

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top