Joan Didion once said, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” All of us are surrounded by stories, whether these are accounts from history or the latest news items on the internet. How can we use poems to reflect on the past or present in ways that are insightful and personally meaningful? Is there a person or a moment in history that speaks to you? Perhaps a photograph from the present or past could become a way to engage with an issue that matters to you. In this workshop, we’ll share poems that speak to what has happened or is now occurring in the world around us. Examples of how other poets have responded to this idea are provided.
Instructor: Margaret Mackinnon