The Poetry of Presence with Raisa Tolchinsky – G26080403
In this poetry workshop, we will explore how writing can help us live with more curiosity, openness, and tenderness. Together, we will ask: how can we write from a place of wonder and vivacity, rather than a desire to be ‘good’? How can writing and reading become a form of listening to ourselves and the world? How can a poetry practice lead us further into the wild beauty of our own becoming?
Our time together will include guided prompts, short readings, reflective exercises, and quiet moments in the stunning landscape of Ghost Ranch. Our schedule balances guided group writing with time for solo creative work. Participants will leave with a stronger connection to their poetic practice and tools to continue writing beyond our time together.
No prior poetry or writing experience is needed.
Instructor
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Raisa TolchinskyRaisa Tolchinsky is the poet-in-residence at Ghost Ranch for the 2026–2027 year, where she is developing new work rooted in landscape, myth, and the contemplative life of the high desert. She is the author of Glass Jaw (Persea Books, 2024), winner of the 2023 Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize, a collection that explores the world of women’s boxing. Raisa holds an MFA in poetry from the University of Virginia and a Master of Religion from Harvard Divinity School, where she focused on writing as a form of chaplaincy. Her poems have appeared in Boston Review, Kenyon Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, and other journals. Previously, she served as the 2022–2023 George Bennett Writer-in-Residence at Phillips Exeter Academy and taught as a visiting faculty member at Indiana University. She is a partner, daughter, sister, friend– an Italian speaker, lover of long walks and cold swims, and a forever student.