Poetry, especially when taught in schools, can often come across as taxing and intimidating. In this drop-in class, students will discover what it means to truly connect with the power of poetry, freedom of expression, and community. Together, we’ll dive into the work of contemporary poets such as Mahogany Browne, Roberto Carlos Garcia, Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Gabrielle Bates, Joshua Bennett and Kyle Liang. Using their work as guides, students will explore writing free verse and narrative poems as they seek to find a home in the world in poetry. Sharing will be encouraged but optional.
During the month of August, we’ll look at the ways poetry can help us find our voice. We’ll talk about poetry that helps us share our feelings, what we like and dislike, what we want to do, how we relate to others, and how we relate to our ourselves and our own interests. Students of all backgrounds and levels of writing experience are welcome!
This Youth Summer Saturday class is intended for ages 10–13. Students of all backgrounds and levels of writing experience are welcome!
This summer, there will be Youth Summer Saturdays on June 24, July 22 and August 19.
There is a suggested donation of $10 for this workshop, but there is a pay what you can option at registration if this isn’t accessible to you.
Drop-In Details
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Darius Phelps is a doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is an adjunct professor at CUNY–Queens, Hunter College and Teachers College. An educator, poet, spoken word artist, and activist, Darius writes poems about grief, liberation, emancipation, reflection through the lens of a teacher of color, and experiencing Black boy joy.