Tomorrow's poetry workshop: "Persistence and the Poem"

I'm looking forward to teaching an OLLI at CCU workshop at the Litchfield Education Center tomorrow. Because it's on "Persistence and the Poem," I've been thinking a lot about digging deeper when writing a poem, not giving up on it too soon. It's hard to sit there and keep at it when you don't know which way to turn, or what's working and what's not, or how much of what you've written you'll have to ditch—but the thing is to keep going. All those matters can be dealt with later. I like the idea of being persistent. It's a good life lesson. And, hey, it's fun—if you consider the discomfort of squirming in your seat fun.

It’ll be my first time teaching in the new Litchfield Education Center. We’re a small class so we’ll happily meet in the conference room around a big table. Nothing beats the camaraderie and imaginative thinking that go on when a bunch of poets get together.

Good News from the Columbia Broadside Project

Congratulations to artist Matt Catoe, my talented partner for the Columbia Broadside Project! The following news has been announced by Darien Cavanaugh, director of the project:

"Congratulations to Matt Catoe and Susan Laughter Meyers for selling the original of "Lately She Falls to Dreaming" on opening night at Tapp's Arts Center. All the other originals are still available at Tapp's through the 28th, and I've just made them available at a new pledge level on our Kickstarter page. I know that serious buyers are looking at at least two others, so if you see one you like. . . ." 

Be sure to check out the beautiful broadsides, including "Lately She Falls to Dreaming," at the Kickstarter page. And I hope to see those of you in the Columbia, SC, area at the closing reception on February 28. Details later.

The Columbia Broadside Project

I am honored to be included in the Columbia Broadside Project, an art-and-poetry collaborative project whose month-long exhibit opened last night at Tapp's Arts Center, Columbia, SC. The project director is Darien Cavanaugh.

For the project, twenty-eight poets and artists from Columbia and other cities throughout South Carolina paired up and collaborated to create 14 original broadsides, each consisting of an image and poem that correspond to one another. Many of the poets and artists were present at the opening. There will be a closing reception on February 28 that will include readings by some of the poets and a panel discussion with some of the poets and artists.

The participating poets and artists are:

Gil Allen and somethingRed
Betsy Breen and Ashley Berendzen
Jonathan Butler and Alejandro Garcia-Lemos
Juan David Cruz and Thomas Crouch
Worthy Evans and Allan Anderson
Will Garland and Alex Coco
Keith Higginbotham and Kristyn Larsen
Julia Koets and Dre Lopez
Ed Madden and Rachel Parker
Ray McManus and Josh Drews!
Susan Laughter Meyers and Matt Catoe
Brandi L. Perry and Michael Krajewski
Nicola Waldron and Lee A. Monts
Susan Levi Wallach and Sammy Lopez

This closing reception is free and open to the public. For more information, visit The Columbia Broadside Project on Facebook or email colabroadside@gmail.com.

Please visit these participants' personal websites:

Ashley Berendzen
Josh Drews
Alejandro Garcia Lemos
Kristyn Larsen
Dre Lopez and Sammy Lopez
Ray McManus
Lee A. Monts
Brandi L. Perry
Susan Levi Wallach

*This project is funded by the Cultural Council of Richland & Lexington Counties and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC.