Saturday Feb. 15th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
$95 members/$110 others San Francisco
Testimonials for Ben
Whether you are new to poetry or you are looking for deeper immersion into the art form, this class will show you a variety of ways to appreciate, learn from, and fall in love with both the reading and writing of poetry.
“Many people say they don’t ‘get’ poetry,” says instructor Ben Jackson. “I don’t always ‘get’ it either. But I know what my body feels, I know what my mind processes, and that’s enough for me to find my way into a poem, whether I’m the author or the reader. I ‘get’ poetry in my own way. I believe you can too.
“So let’s start with a clean slate. We’ll begin the day thinking about what makes poetry pleasurable for each of us, reading some poems by others, and then drafting some of our own. We’ll delve into the pleasures and the mysteries of other poets’ work, as well as our own fledgling compositions, paying close attention to imagery, rhythms and forms.
“My goal is to help you find comfort and excitement from the mysteries of poetry, and to do so by finding your own way in.”
Ben Jackson has an MFA from Warren Wilson College. He has taught poetry to students from the second grade up to the college level. He currently teaches autobiographical and research writing at the University of San Francisco. His poems have appeared in New England Review, Hudson Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, Prairie Schooner, and elsewhere. He has received residency awards from Vermont Studio Center, Jentel Artist Residency Program, and Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts.