I am delighted this week to participate in the Community of Writers at Sq— (virtual) Valley. Virtual because of the ongoing (& well-founded) concern regarding the novel Coronavirus. There are some advantages to virtual. I get to have meals at home and walks in my neighborhood. I don’t have to give up a minute of Cascadian summer. I can attend in my studio with my library within the radius of my headphone cord. And the workshop has worked as I had hoped, allowing me to meet new poets, reconnect more deeply with “cabin mates” like Kelli Russell Agodon and helping me generate a LOT of new poems. (It helps to come in with ongoing projects like Sonetos de Cascadia, American Sentences, POPO and a serial poem on Carla Bley, all of which have been expanded, or continued here.)

And the virtual format means you can attend the benefit faculty reading!

Camille Dungy  •  Robert Hass  •  Brenda Hillman
Major Jackson  •  Ada Limón •  Matthew Zapruder

This year hear six poets including one Pulitzer Prize winner, a recipient of the Griffin International Prize, a former U.S. Poet Laureate, two National Book Critics Circle Award winners, and a recipient of the Pushcart Prize.

Thursday, June 25, 2020 via Zoom
5:30 p.m. Pacific Time (Reservations HERE.)

Admission is free and donations greatly appreciated.

My workshop experiences with Major Jackson and Brenda Hillman, “Poetry First Aid” sessions with Bob Hass and Brenda, Brenda’s craft talk on “soul” and just the general high level of poetry literacy are all highlights of this experience so far. Please consider attending and supporting this legendary workshop now 50 years old.