Poetry West

03/01/2020

Poetry West Workshop: Mapping Sounds and Memories with Dr. MJ Sullivan
Dr. MJ Sullivan will lead a discussion of mapping sounds and memories. We will begin with creating sonic meditations, then follow through with poetry in which each poet creates the beginning of a library of maps. Thus we create an archive of poems that are interrelated and performative. The meditations involve creating sounds out of the imagination and then forging a poem.

Dr. Sullivan is a fun-loving poet and filmmaker who likes creating new ways of looking at the world. Dr. Sullivan teaches classes in film studies, philosophy, social justice, and poetry at UCCS. Her courses also include studies in critical media theory and ecopoetics. She is the producer and director of the feature documentary poem "Stitching Rites".

Workshop and meeting on Saturday, March 7, 2020 from 10:00 AM to Noon at 2811 N. Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (Private Residence). Salon to follow from Noon to 1:00 PM. Free for first time attendees. After that we ask that you join Poetry West at our low dues of $30.00 per year supporting future workshops. Contact Julie K. Shavin at 719-375-1200.

02/08/2020

Phil Ginsburg at Poetry West workshop.

01/25/2020

Poetry West Workshop with Phil Ginsburg

The versatile ever-fertile, alternately serious and zany mind of Phil Ginsburg will thrill us with many topics related to poetry: Prayer as poetry/vice versa, Letter writing as poetry-precursor, Humor in poetry - how and why, Allusive qualities in poems - what is behind the words, which is to say, mind your diction, What Were You Thinking?, You Have The Right To Remain Silent - but don't do it (why and how), Delivering the performance your awesome poems deserve.

Phil Ginsburg is a performance poet/playwright. His work can be discovered in publications in the United States, England, Israel and New Zealand. Spoken word performance of his work can be discovered at indiefeedpp.libsyn.com. Phil’s books include Chance of Rain, Psychotropic Poems, and The Choreography of Corn. His prize winning plays include Another Day in Polka-topia, and Coco.

Workshop and meeting on Saturday, February 8, 2020 from 10:00 AM to Noon at 2811 N. Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (Private Residence). Salon to follow from Noon to 1:00 PM. Free for first time attendees. After that we ask that you join Poetry West at our low dues of $30.00 per year supporting future workshops. Contact Julie K. Shavin at 719-375-1200.

11/07/2019

More pics from Nov. 2 Amy Irish workshop

11/02/2019

Amy Irish at Poetry West.

10/19/2019

Poetry West Workshop: Myths and Fairy Tales in Modern Poetry with Amy Wray Irish

This workshop explores how writing about myths, fairy tales, and even modern stories adds depth to any poet’s work. Participants will read examples by poets who use mythology in their work. They will look at several ways of weaving fairy tales into their work, then tease out the characters and story arcs that give their own lives meaning. The goal of the workshop is to get inspired and generate new work that in some way incorporates myths and fairy tales.

Amy Wray Irish is a Colorado writer whose poetry can be found online, in print journals, and at the microphone of any open mic. She is a member of the Columbine Poets and the Lighthouse Writers. Her two books of poetry are Creation Stories (2016) and The Nature of the Mother (forthcoming). Both are entangled with mythology, hung up on art, and in love with the natural world. Learn more at amywrayirish.com.

Workshop and meeting on Saturday, November 2, 2019, from 10:00 AM to Noon at 2811 N. Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (Private Residence). Salon to follow from Noon to 1:00 PM. Free for first time attendees. After that we ask that you join Poetry West at our low dues of $30.00 per year which supports future workshops. Contact Julie K. Shavin at 719-459-0335.

10/12/2019

09/26/2019

Poetry West Workshop: Love Poetry of Latin America with Ricardo Bogaert

This workshop provides an understanding of the richness of love poetry in Latin America with examples of poems in Spanish and English translation. It will discuss modernism, surrealism and political love poetry along with rhyme and meter. A writing exercise will focus on writing a draft inspired by the poems reviewed.

Doctor Ricardo J. Bogaert-Álvarez has published poems in the El Sol newspaper, The Free Press, the Horizons anthology, and Poems from the Back Forty, as well as three books: The Samurai Poet, The Mask Behind My Face, and The Dance of the Phoenix. He won third place for traditional poetry and an honorable mention for prose poetry in the Columbine Poets Annual Poetry Contest, 2019.

Workshop and meeting on Saturday, October 12, 2019 from 10:00 AM to Noon at 2811 N. Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (Private Residence). Salon to follow from Noon to 1:00 PM. Free for first time attendees. After that we ask that you join Poetry West at our low dues of $30.00 per year which supports future workshops. Contact Julie K. Shavin at 719-459-0335.

09/21/2019

SETH at Poetry West.

09/12/2019

Poetry West workshop NEXT SATURDAY (Sept. 21) morning at our new venue, Karen Peace's house at 2811 N. Hancock. This will feature Denver poet SETH. A description follows:

ENTERING POETRY THROUGH THE BACK DOOR

In other words, writing from the far, far right side of your brain. Noted for his original use of language as much as his performance prowess, performance poet SETH will share some of the devises he uses to create poetry that surprises and delights. Bring an extra pen; you may need it. Prepare to write and share...and, if time allows, perform.

One of Colorado’s best-known performance poets, SETH has made a career of devising creative ways to present poetry. For over 30 years he has collaborated with countless musicians, poets, actors, dancers and other performance artists in a never-ending quest to render poetry more entertaining, and thus more accessible, to general audiences.

A founding member of the performance poetry troupe, Open Rangers (1989-2000), SETH helped pioneer the art of “Poetry Theater” in Denver. The ensemble has appeared on stage, audio cassette, on film and TV interweaving poetry, music, theater and multiple poetic voices into thematically cohesive productions.

While a member of Open Rangers, SETH also performed with the critically-acclaimed performance art trio, Jafrika (1993-2004). Among many honors, Jafrika was lauded “one of Colorado’s finest cultural offerings” by the Rocky Mountain News. SETH’s poetry and performance has been described as “original, moving, and insightful.”

A writer, poet, actor, musician, producer and director, SETH has competed in National Slam Competitions and teaches the art of reading and performing poetry to students of all ages. His poetry collection, A Black Odyssey, uses Homer’s ancient epic as an allegorical scaffold for his own experiences as a Black poet in contemporary America.

SETH currently heads Art Compost & the Word Mechanics, an improvisational musical-poetic ensemble performing weekly at the Mercury Café in Denver, Colorado. Art Compost has been featured at numerous poetry festivals throughout Colorado over the past 19 years.

08/25/2019

Hello, announcing a book drive -- specifically for writing (all genres) and poetry books/chapbooks. Poetry West (see our page on FB) in Colorado Springs is reviving; however, we are not wealthy at this time. If you have any chapbooks or other to donate to our library, we would greatly appreciate such a gift. We are struggling financially (we always pay our facilitators), but adding in a perk like a selection of books for presenters to choose from would be great in the meantime. Poetry West is a 501C3 organization. THANKS!