Poetry Worship...Errrrr...Workshop

 Do you ever misread a word? Sometimes it's because I'm in a rush, other times I feel like my subconscious is trying to tell me what's truly occupying my mind. Last week we students submitted poems to be workshoped in class. Sheila forwarded the submissions on to the class, so we had time to be constructive in our feedback. Along with the poems, she included a document titled "A Few Notes Before Workshoping Poems." When I picked the document up out of the printer, I read "workshoping" as "worshiping," and I thought it was the loveliest, most inspiring mistake. I have plans for a more ambitious poem growing out of this idea of poetry worship, but I also thought it would be fun to create an "erasure" poem from the document itself. So, here it is....

"A Few Notes Before Worshiping Poems"

Reading the poem aloud

Remain pensive.

Listen, take notes:

Moments

Questions.

Be kind.

Avoid that attempt to rewrite.

Step up!

Receiving can be challenging:

Self-doubt, dismissal.

Be open.

Copious notes.

Focus on taking, not responding.

Then question.

Take what is useful---

Leave the rest.

Be open.

The poem is yours.

What caught your attention?

Interesting repetitions?

Striking moments?

General brilliance?

The poem is trying to achieve.

Intrigue, mystery.

Form, intention.

Exploring.