Grackle artwork by artist Jim Blackburn
Since March of 2020 we have endured a series of relentless pandemic storms followed by fleeting periods of specious calm – and more storms – including the hurricane that was the delta variant and the continuing tide of omicron. As human beings we must acknowledge the reality of this burden; the unspeakable suffering, loss, and grief, but also the resolve and resiliency with which we carry on. Storytelling and poem-making in the face of such subject matter is often a lapidary pursuit, like gem cutting or stone masonry, but it can also be like pouring a candle: measuring, layering, folding in the wick, and then, lighting it. In this generative workshop we will study the stories and poems of established writers while encouraging the creation of new work in a welcoming, collaborative setting. Poetic seekers and storytellers of all levels of experience are welcome.
Stacy R. Nigliazzo is a nurse and the award-winning author of two full-length poetry collections: Scissored Moon and Sky the Oar. Her third book, My Borrowed Face, is scheduled for publication in spring of 2022 by Press 53. Her poems have appeared in the Bellevue Literary Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Ploughshares, among other publications. She is co-poetry editor of Pulse, Voices From The Heart of Medicine, and reviews poetry for the American Journal of Nursing (AJN).