Iowa City Poetry

05/20/2026

Our last session of Write at the Stanley for the semester meets this Sunday, May 24, from 2:30 to 4:15 pm. Join us to generate new creative writing inspired by works in the Stanley collection.

Each generative session will be led by a different talented writer from our area, who will be offering a new prompt and a new approach to ekphrastic writing (writing inspired by visual art).

This month's leader: Adam Witte

Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry and University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art.

Learn more at https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/write-at-the-stanley

05/17/2026

In person and online, the Free Generative Writing Workshops provide a space for career writers, curious beginners, writers of all levels and stages of life.

Details at https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/free-gen-for-may-lei-wang

\\ The Free Gen: Iowa City's Original Generative Writing Workshop
// May's Instructor: Lei Wang
\\ Sunday, May 17, 5:30-7 pm Central
// In person or online!

Our goal is to make it easy to meet and learn from some of the most talented writer/teachers living in or passing through Iowa City. Every month a new writer leads a generative workshop, presenting a prompt inspired by their own preoccupations, passions, or interests.

Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry and PorchLight: Iowa City's Community Literary Salon.

This month's leader: Lei Wang

Lei Wang is a graduate of the Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program and the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Workshop. Her writing has been published in Ecotone, Hunger Mountain, Meridian, and the New York Times’ Modern Love column, and she is at work on her first book, a secular myth buster on spiritual enlightenment. A recovering perfectionist, she is always on the search for tricks to get out of her own way.

05/01/2026

Iowa City Poetry Alfresco 2026 is almost here! Have you charted your path?

Saturday evening in Iowa City, 37 poets will be reading at 12 outdoor sites in the leafy Northside Neighborhood. Plan your path to hit all 20 min readings -- or pop in to hear a few with your favorite artists!

FREE and everybody's welcome!

📅 Saturday, May 2
⏳ 5-8 pm readings. 8 pm after-party in Happy Hollow Park
🌺 Northside Neighborhood in Iowa City

Details at https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/iowa-city-poetry-alfresco-2026

04/29/2026

Wrap up Poetry Month with us this Saturday evening, May 2, at Iowa City Poetry Alfresco!

In this open-air progressive poetry reading, 37 writers will be sharing their work at 12 different outdoor sites in the Northside Neighborhood.

Can you join us?

Everybody's welcome!

Readers, schedule & map at https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/iowa-city-poetry-alfresco-2026

04/24/2026

Poetry is many things, including an excellent vehicle for carrying our anger into the world. And given how much happening in the world justifies our anger, poetry might also be one of the most constructive ways of expressing it.

Join poet Ryan Collins on Sunday evening for an Invective Poetry Workshop.

\\ "Miracles are Wrought with Axes:" Invective Poetry Workshop
// with poet & teacher Ryan Collins
\\ Sunday, April 26
// 5:30-7:30 pm Central
\\ Online

Details at https://iowacitypoetry.com/workshops/miracles-are-wrought-with-axes-invective-poetry-workshop

Ryan Collins is the author of A New American Field Guide & Song Book and several chapbooks. Recently he was a finalist in the Omnidawn Poetry Chapbook Contest, the DIAGRAM/New Michigan Press Chapbook Contest, and the Sixth Finch Chapbook Contest. His work has appeared in Apartment, The Biscuit Hill, Coma, The Mixtape Review, Ninth Letter, Past Ten, Sink Review, swamp pink, and many other places. He is the Executive Director of the Midwest Writing Center and hosts the SPECTRA Reading Series in Rock Island, IL, where he lives.

Iowa City Poetry builds community through a love of poetry. We share the wealth of literary resources in Iowa City, UNESCO City of Literature.

04/19/2026

Join us Sunday when Scott Russell Morris, the Poet Laureate of Mount Vernon, leads this month's session!

The Free Generative Writing Workshops provide a space for career writers, curious beginners, writers of all levels and stages of life. Our goal is to make it easy to meet and learn from some of the most talented writer/teachers living in or passing through Iowa City. Every month a new writer leads a generative workshop, presenting a prompt inspired by their own preoccupations, passions, or interests.

Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry and PorchLight Literary Arts Center.

Get details at https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/free-gen-for-april-scott-russell-morris

04/19/2026

Join us when Scott Russell Morris, the Poet Laureate of Mount Vernon, leads this month's session!

https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/free-gen-for-april-scott-russell-morris

The Free Generative Writing Workshops provide a space for career writers, curious beginners, writers of all levels and stages of life. Our goal is to make it easy to meet and learn from some of the most talented writer/teachers living in or passing through Iowa City. Every month a new writer leads a generative workshop, presenting a prompt inspired by their own preoccupations, passions, or interests.

Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry and PorchLight Literary Arts Center.

04/07/2026

Call for poets! Apply now to read at Iowa City Poetry Alfresco 2026! Wrap up poetry month with us at this community celebration on May 2, 5-8 pm, when 35+ poets will read at 12 different outdoor sites in the Northside Neighborhood of Iowa City. We'd love to include you!

Details & application at https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/iowa-city-poetry-alfresco-2026

03/21/2026

Accomplished poet and supportive teacher Becca Klaver is leading this month's session of Write at the Stanley! Join us for a generative ekphrastic writing workshop where Becca brings an original prompt and we have time to write in the galleries. Set aside dedicated time with us this Sunday to nurture your own writing!

Details at https://iowacitypoetry.com/events/write-at-the-stanley

Co-sponsored by University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art and Iowa City Poetry.

Becca Klaver is the author of the poetry collections LA Liminal, Empire Wasted, and Ready for the World, as well as several chapbooks. Her latest publications are Midwinter Constellation, a collaborative homage to Bernadette Mayer’s Midwinter Day, and Greetings from Bowling Green, a chapbook of postcard poems. Her visual poetry appears most recently in ANMLY, and she has created group visual poetry projects such as Women Poets Wearing Sweatpants. She lives in Iowa City, where she used to run programming for the Iowa Summer Writing Festival and continues to organize All Fours Group Chat, a feminist conversation meetup.

03/14/2026

Because of the expected snowstorm Sunday night, we're having to cancel The Free Gen for March with Jenny Rowe. Which is a big disappointment. But you can still catch Jenny's workshop on the rescheduled date of June 21st!

We'll be back in April for the next Free Gen when Scott Russell Morris leads. Sunday, April 19th, 5:30-7 pm. Everyone's welcome!

Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry and PorchLight Literary Center