Hi all

I had the privilege of attending a State Library workshop facilitated by Nick Grivas on Saturday 11/8/12. This post is to cover some of the fun and challenging things the day offered:

• What is poetry to you?

Around a table of 10 people, these are the main themes that I noticed:

Poetry is cathartic

It records, conveys, captures emotion.

It is redemptive, makes sense.

Poetry is connection

This is something I have written on that theme also

• How do we connect through poetry?

A technique discussed – re-read poems. Change things from abstract to concrete.

What was meant by this: Substitute intangible for something that can be grabbed onto.

It is the difference between love is beautiful and some of the concrete images I use in this poem, such as

Love is a tightrope:
like the one from kitchen,
to bedroom,
to boredom,
to neglect.

• Some ideas for writing exercises (timed – deadline of five minutes)

1) Look at a picture. Write anything that comes to you. Focus on smell, texture, emotion. This exercise delivered Bear

2) Died, falling, balcony, reborn, grain moth, exist in a barley warehouse, will be turned into beer.

3) Up to date VHS in a store. DVD arrives. How do you feel? This exercise delivered The great VHS and DVD debate

4) Brilliantly written performance poem. In the hands of someone who speaks in a monotone. How do you feel?

5) Gnome, Scientist. Researching you for a National Geographic documentary.

6) Find a book. Use its title in a recurring manner for a poem. This exercise yielded New World Monkeys

I participated in three of the six above, but wanted to share them all – please try any of them out that appeal to you!

I am excited to learn. Everyday I want to learn more. Improve. Strive. Find the words.

This is what matters to me.