We will each bring a favorite poem and our readiness to listen, to write, and to share our work. We will share poems we love and discuss why, talk about fear and censorship that gets in the way of telling our stories through poetry. Why poetry? we will ask. We will look inside the notion that everything is translation, even within one language, the ways in which we make assumptions about one another without understanding each other’s languages, and what can happen when we break open the assumptions and move inside the language. We will write using prompts that push us in language, form and narrative. We look at questions of identity, form, sound, story, magic, dream, research, journey, connection. Our time together as poets will be informed by an understanding that community is not separate from poetry and that community cannot exist without the sharing of all the stories, all the voices.

This workshop costs $25. To apply, send a check made out to “Sarah Browning” to Split This Rock/IPS, 1112 16^th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036. No experience necessary. First come, first served. Scholarships available – contact Sarah at browning [at] splitthisrock [dot] org to apply.

Made possible in part by a grant from the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.

Kathy Engel is a poet, activist, essayist, organizer, producer and educator. Founder and first director of the women’s human rights organization MADRE, co founder and former President of Riptide Communications, she has worked as a consultant for more than 20 year in creative strategic development for human rights, peace, and justice groups.