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Hello Friends
Once again it is time to have another Open Link event.
A couple of weeks ago I attended a poetry workshop with Moira Egan, we did poetic exercises and analyzed poems. The subject was around scent and we analyzed a number of poems, and also wrote our own. I will link up the poem I did in the workshop.
For those of you who have written here before you know that subject of scent is not new for us. We have had prompts on various aspects of scent before. For instance we Lilian had a prompt on brand names on poetics where one of the categories was perfume names.
Mock Orange bloom
One of the poem we shared and discussed was Mock Orange by Louise Glück . If you have time to read it and provide your thoughts about the poem, you can leave a comment below.
So tell me, have you ever attended a poetry workshop? What did you learn? What is the difference between reading online poetry and meeting people writing?
As this is Open Link, you can link up one poem below. When you are ready visit other poems, comment and tell what you feel when you read it.
Leave comments below and take part of discussion on any subject you want including the poem I have linked, your thought around workshops etc.
dVerse 
Good evening everyone! Bjorn will be along later. In the meantime, I’ll be helping to host for a while. It’s been chilly but bright up here on the North Norfolk coast but better weather is on the horizon.
Hello Kim! We are having an amazing spring season (though late) so really enjoying the outdoors lately.
I really must get out and about! I’ve been doing my seasonal paid job as an examiner / moderator, which keeps me at the computer most days. I’m going to visit my daughter on Saturday but we’ve realised it’s the ‘big wedding’ in Windsor on that day and the traffic will probably be awful.
Happy Thursday and OLN everyone! I hope you are having a good afternoon or day!
Bjorn, I am looking forward to reading and knowing more about your workshop! I have not attending a poetry workshop before.
Hello… I’m back from the concert… but it’s close to bedtime for me… The poetry workshop was really interesting and lot’s of new ideas for prompts as well as for ways to improve my own workshops
I’ve just re-read ‘Mock Orange’ and my thoughts have changed about it. I can’t remember what it smells like, but the poem suggests it could be stifling, like her relationship with men. I love the play on the word ‘mock’ in the lines:
‘We were made fools of.
And the scent of mock orange
drifts through the window.
How can I rest?
How can I be content
when there is still
that odor in the world?’
Actually the smell of flower can be stifling … we have mock-orange in the garden, and those nights when it blooms it can be too much really… but also the fact there is a scent as a promise, but never any fruit…
Thanks for hosting, Bjorn!
Helo Frank.. good to have you here.
Happy OLN! 🙂 I wrote a new poem for tonight.. see you on the trail! 💞
Hi Sanaa! Happy OLN!
Happy OLN Kim 💞
🙂 xxx
Hello Sanaa… nice to have you here.
Thank you 😊 good to see you too!
I’ve only ever taken part in online workshops. Benefited – I hope.
Me too until this time, and I like both… they complement each other.
I live too remote to take part in an actual group but that’s okay too.
Same here, but long to be in a writer’s group of fellow poets. In this small town there are only a few writers and our genres/interests vary too widely to be of any real help to one another.
As far as I know I’m the only writer in the area – but then, I never got to know the people of the closest town well enough to really know. 🙂
Actually participating in workshops like this is to meet other people who writes or wants to write… the workshop I participated in was almost entirely consisting of expats … Then meeting an established author/poet and learn from them is also interesting.
I’m planning a trip to Johannesburg, where I used to live. I’ll ask my poet friends there to organise a workshop for that kind of interaction. Uhm, I was wondering if it’s necessary to qualify writing about (toxic) groups and then posting such a poem in the Dverse environment? Surely fellow participants understand – I hope?
I like the smell of Mock Orange. I know it as Philadelphus, and in these parts it’s called Mexican Orange. The poem doesn’t say much to me, I’m afraid. She should have picked a stinker of a flower.
Nope, never been to any writing workshops at all.
I like it’s fragrance too, but it’s a bit too heavy… in the same way like lilies can have a pleasant smell but also a bit too much…
It’s all to do with association, I suppose. For me, lilies are funeral flowers and their sickly scent covers the smell of decomposition.
Yes it’s that too…
Happy OLN everyone and thank you for hosting tonight Bjorn! When we lived in the Lake District I was a member of a Women’s Writing Group and some of us got together to get funding from North West Arts for a writing retreat with a visiting poet/author, which was wonderful, and we produced an anthology. I was also part of the Wordsworth Poets, a group of poets who met weekly at the Wordsworth Trust in Grasmere to discuss poetry. I have taken part in workshops and also a Summer School before deciding to take my Postgrad Certificate in Creative Writing at Newcastle University. I have enjoyed all the interaction and hearing everyone read their own work out loud and telling us the stories behind it. In addition many of us became friends. I am enjoying the online writing community too, it is a shame we live so far apart as I think that if this was a real bar, we would have a really good time!
I agree… an i have always felt a bit envious when I realize how little of real workshops that trickle into Sweden… and yes I like both too…
Only one workshop many moons ago when the Muse failed to accompany me –
I did not enjoy the poem very much but perhaps I was looking too hard at the connotations – can relate to “split into the old selves,
the tired antagonisms”
I wondered if she was referring to Philadelphus Virginal!
Personally I love the scent – real or mock orange blossom
Yes it’s Philadelphus … I think it’s a scent you like… but it can be overwhelming,… there is also the reference that the bloom does not lead to any oranges… which some relationships can be…
p.s. meant to say thank you for adding this discussion dimension to OLN – and for hosting
We used to have some discussions and one thing is to read poems and see what we can come up with…
Thank you for posting this fascinating poem by Glück…I like it because it feels boldly personal relating to very unhappy memories…I have never smelled mock orange but any intense fragrance could work here but ‘mock’ seems to fit with the questions her past brings up. As a side bar, I just became aware of moon gardens recently…white and fragrant plants are planted to create an experience at night especially under the moon…(no workshop stories to share) Cheers!
The scent is especially intense at night… we do have it in our garden, and it’s very intense.
Identifying tones between me and this poem, Mock Orange. I think we were made fools of, and then made fools of ourselves, not knowing the real beauty and intimacy intended. . I have never been to a poetry workshop, mostly because of fear and intimidation I think. A desire that may be fulfilled still one day.
Yes, I think it’s so as well… maybe regrets of something (a bad morning kind of poem) … I really recommend a workshop… you learn a lot from both others and from meeting an established poet
I’ll read and comment further tomorrow. It’s late for me here.
Bedtime here… see you tomorrow.
Good night and see you in the poetry trail !
I meet other writers and listen to their work throughout my state (NH) on open mic’s. I also belong, for several years, to a writers group at Plymouth State University, where feedback on current works are offered and are either accepted or are considered. Once a year we attend a Mary Chivers workshop on her mountain top in Wentworth NH and share good food, a common theme, and leave with insight that was gratefully shared and also with encouragement to continue in our writing skills.
ZQ
Lucky for you to have that community of writers ZQ!
This sounds exactly like what experienced…
Evening, Poets! Thanks, Bjorn! I’ve attended a variety of poets workshops through the years—some better than others. The best was the Haiku Poets of the Garden State, an HSA-affiliates haiku group that meets monthly in New Jersey. The haijin from that group helped me revise a Haibun that I later published in Cattails!
How nice to have that haiku group that meets monthly. A supportive group is very helpful!
To get a bit deeper feedback is what makes it really worthwhile, and to be able to hear people read their own poetry …
Hi Bjorn. I love the scent of Mock Orange. The two we have in our yard came from my father’s mother’s farm. Mixing with the honeysuckle and magnolia, it is lovely. Such a sad bitter poem. She must have had a brute of a husband or else didn’t care fr sex with men. I didn’t care for the poem at all – sort of like reading about a rape. I used to attend poetry workshops in my early 30’s but stopped. I don’t kinow. So many of the “leaders” seemed to be impressed with themselves and read their poems in that “poetic voice”. I thank you for hosting and for providing more discussion to this group than about the weather and what the person is posting. I remember when dVerse used to have weekly discussions and they were always lively. No poems submitted but the conversations were wonderful. I got more from those than a workshop. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
I’ve been wanting to attend a workshop, even apply for an MFA, but Toni, your comment about the pompous leader has me thinking. I mean, what we do here at dVerse is wonderful and productive and not frought with competition and anxiety about publication. But the face-to-face would be even better.
Yes. We did this every tuesday. We discussed poetic forms, writers, poetry. It was non confrontational and while not always “friendly”, the conversations were polite and civilized. We learned things as well. Bjorn, do you remember what Tuesdays used to called?
It was on Monday’s before we had quadrille and haibun, and it was called pubtalk… I think it’s something worth thinking about.
I expected to obtain my MFA by the end of the summer.
There are of course good and bad teachers… in the workshop we had… we as participants read the poems and commented on them, actually it’s an art in itself to read a poem…
Yes the poem is not a comforting one… I was thinking the morning after a one night-stand… maybe not rape, but sex with out content… or a scent without hope of a fruit… 🙂
Ai have a work shop in my apartment every night. Ai hear many voices, and get feedback on anything aI do. It is a kind of interesting. Ai try not to annoy, anyone.
To meet people face to face makes a difference…
Hi, Björn! I have never been to a workshop. My undergraduate degree was mostly in writing, so I have a couple poetry classes to remember… and have nightmares over. Every week bring in copies of a new work, hand them out, go away bleeding and determined to be a better human (or poet) the next time around. In honor of poetry workshops everywhere, I think I’ll have a Tequilla Cliché Sunrise!
Ha.. yes it takes a certain skill to run a poetry workshop… I think it’s a difference if you do it for grades than for fun…
Quite possibly. Not certain I would do a workshop. I’d rather do it in something like dVerse. That way no one can hear me curse, or see me throw my laptop across the room. 🙂
I have never been to a workshop, however, I did belong to a poetry sharing group when I lived in Portland, OR. We met at the library, it was informal, and I miss it.
A workshop can be a good way to meet other poets/authors… sometimes it starts with a course and then you do some project together… At least here in Sweden it’s very hard to meet others who are interested writing in English.
Yes. A workshop would be a good thing.
So happy to make it this week with a happy link! I’ve been picking my days to write because I’ve been so busy.
I’ve attended a few poetry meets in my area through an app called MeetUp. I joined a group. We would pick a subject, write about it and share other poems and thoughts, one of which I shared on CP. I enjoyed it very much and think it enriches my work it’s a wonderful experience. I can always learn from others.
Don’t forget about me and visit my poem it’ll make you smile! I’ll be around to read in the next few days I like to see what people pick. Hugs all around!
Yes meetup is a good thing… I have never attended, but there has been such events in Stockholm too… many of them tied to the English bookshop we have here.
I like that Glück poem because I could have written it, the sex part anyways, these days anyways. Mock orange I’m not so sure, but I also can relate to the hopelessness of ever being content when such a thing coexists with one in the world. For me it’s war and all the shames on humanity that stem from it, toddlers washing up on Mediterranean beaches simply to flee in desperation from the incessant bullets, etc. I know people in their bubbly worlds will say you just have to get on with your own life, but I can’t accept that. There has to be a way we can all stop banking the bomb, the blood.
I like your thoughts on the poem…had not had those thoughts myself.
And I wish I can share a poem tonight but haven’t had time to write a thing all week, barely even read. Hope to get with it soon.
I can so much understand that…
I associate orange blossom with brides, but when I looked up mock orange blossom I discovered you shouldn’t give it to a bride as it may cause the wedding to be cancelled. There was something in this poem about disillusionment and bitterness, and the sex thing made me wonder if there was some stray connection to bridal wreaths. I think she captures that sickly heaviness of some scents well. There are some flowers I can’t bear to have in the house.
I don’t often do OLN, but I have just joined a new poetry group (! – synchronicity) – it’s very small and we’re still working out what to do with it. We had our first meeting this week. I realised that I pretty well only write to prompts, and that I wanted to generate some work on my own.
I think there is a difference between reading a poem on page and out loud. Some poems that use complex formatting can work really well on the page and seem a little pointless read out loud. A read poem becomes much more about flow, changes of direction, overall sound for me. A written poem is easier to scrutinise. I think poetry should, in general, be read out loud. I read everything out loud, I talk to myself as I’m constructing. I do that mainly while I’m in motion – in the car, walking – so I don’t come across as too crazy to too many people.
I’ve done a couple of workshops, nothing too challenging. They were both a massive mixture of styles, interests, experience. I try to go to a monthly open voice night for poets and songwriters – again, a hodge-podge of styles. I feel like I’ve never been robustly critiqued, always supported. I would kind of like someone to come along with a red pen and a scalpel and push me hard.
Or would I?
I think my comment is now longer than your original posting. I think you hit a nerve with me today!
I had not heard about the bride, but it does make sense… mock-orange is a flower but no fruit… not the message you want to send to a bride. We have a mock-orange bush in our garden … and the scent is actually overwhelming.
The workshop we had was around the a specific theme, and none of the other participants had ever written poetry… but she managed to give us a few tips… and some of them can become prompts later. I think that what is fun is to get a toolbox where we can explore that together…
We did get some robust feedback, and my posted poem is the result of adjusting to a redlined version I received separately afterwards…
Since I was the most experienced one I also got the most “criticism”, but it was really valuable. She also recommended some poets to explore further… (Louse Glück. Mark Strand and Charles Simic)…
Wishing everyone a great weekend. Happy reading!
A great weekend back… hope you are well.
I have never attended a writer’s workshop. I would love to, but have never had the chance, (cash). I have attended lots of challenges at our local university and I won a poetry slam once. I am hoping to attend the creative writer’s class this Fall. It is my favorite hobby, and you all are my favorite online group!
via OpenLinkNight #220
I recently returned to a writers’ workshop that has been going since about 1972 (the leader is now 85 and is honored in the local community as an island treasure as she has guided a lot of writers over the years). I am hoping to get feedback on organizing poems for publishing. Other workshops I have done 1) a spontaneous writing where there would be a prompt, time to write, then read and response 2) Centrum in Port Townsend WA where master poets would have students for a week of total immersion in poetry. I got to sit at the feet of Robert Bly and learn writing and translating. He also read one of my poems out loud to the group. I still remember so much from all my poetry teachers and fellow poets.