Ucheldre

In many poems, there is a howl or hallelujah: a moment when the true emotion of a piece sings its loudest. This workshop will look at ways to cut away unnecessary parts of a poem to allow your howls and hallelujahs to come through in concise, powerful writing. You will leave the workshop with a poem that has been drafted, edited, and read to the group (but only if you want – no one will be forced to share). Together, we’ll achieve this through a series of activities that build on from each other:

1. Hello, Imagism (a discussion on Imagist poetry and some examples)
2. The Poet’s Power (a writing exercise in which we utilise The Poet’s Power – an ability to see the world differently to others)
3. Verbs are Magic (an editing exercise to improve the impact of a poem through verbs)
4. Care to Share? (a workshopping exercise in which you read what you’ve written to the group if you want to)

Briony Collins is the author of Blame it on Me and All That Glisters, both published by Broken Sleep Books. Her next instalment of poetry – The Birds, The Rabbits, The Trees – is forthcoming with them in April 2023. Currently, Briony manages her time between running Cape Magazine and working on her PhD.