VIRTUAL: Conversations with the Masters: What Good Poems Teach Us about Writing and Life
In this writing workshop we will look at “good poems” to see what they can show us about poetic craft. We will examine how they have explored the everyday elements of our lives as well as major themes and events to give us guidance, comfort, pleasure and delights of the imagination. We’ll look at the work of a number of different poets, discuss these poets and their poems, and turn our attention to writing our own poems in response. Assignments will be given in each class, and the following day participants’ writing will be discussed, should they choose to share. All levels of experience (or inexperience) welcome.
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Virtual Events: Payments made for Virtual Events are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend the event, recordings will be made available to you after the event. For events with multiple sessions, every attempt will be made to make the session(s) available to you before the next scheduled session.
In-Person Events: During this Covid-19 pandemic period, written notification must be received no later than 45 days prior to the start date of your workshop in order to receive a refund, minus a $100 processing charge. No refunds will be processed after that time. We reserve the right to announce a change in leadership or cancel any program 45 days prior to the first day of the workshop. In that event, you may transfer to another workshop without charge or we will refund the full workshop payment. Many participants have found it helpful to purchase travel insurance. This cancellation policy does not apply to January term. If the cancellation is Covid-related and is received less than 45 days prior to your start date, your funds will be left on deposit for another ghost ranch workshop or future stay or you can make it a full donation to support us through this unique business period.
EVENT FAQ's
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Zoom Links
Upon registration you will receive an email with your Zoom event link-this initial email is sometimes delayed by an hour or so. You will again receive the information the day before the event and the day of the event. Look for email to come from @ghostranch.org email address. If your messages get buried within your normal email flow, a search for @ghostranch.org should yield the latest message we have sent you. Always check your junk or spam box. Reach out to programs@ghostranch.org if your day before event message is missing a zoom link.
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PAYMENTS MADE FOR VIRTUAL EVENTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
If you are unable to attend the event, recordings will be made available to you after the event. For events with multiple sessions, every attempt will be made to make the session(s) available to you before the next scheduled session.
Instructors
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Anita SkeenAnita Skeen is currently Professor Emerita in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University where she is the Founding Director of The Center for Poetry. and currently the Series Editor for Wheelbarrow Books. She taught students in kindergarten through high school while working with the Kansas Arts Commission’s Artist in the Schools Program; in traditional venues such as college classrooms as a Visiting Writer and Writer in Residence; and in senior citizens’ centers, libraries, and at Ghost Ranch. She has been the Coordinator of the Creative Arts Program at Ghost Ranch for 41 years, and the Fall Writing Festival for 23 years.
Anita is the author of six volumes of poetry: Each Hand A Map (1986); Portraits (1990); Outside the Fold, Outside the Frame (1999); The Resurrection of the Animals (2002); Never the Whole Story (2011); When We Say Shelter (2007), with Oklahoma poet Jane Taylor; and The Unauthorized Audubon (2014), a collection of poems about imaginary birds accompanied by the linocuts of anthropologist/visual artist Laura B. DeLind.. With Taylor, she co-edited the literary anthology Once Upon A Place: Writings from Ghost Ranch (2008). Her poetry, short fiction, and essays have appeared in numerous literary magazines and anthologies.