Lehigh Valley Poetry hosts a monthly virtual salon and open mic on the first Monday of the month at 8:30 PM. (EST) Prior to the open mic, we host a “mini workshop” from 8:00- 8:30. This has been running as an added session since the pandemic started, facilitated by E. Lynn Alexander, unless there is a guest facilitator. We usually post the events on the Lehigh Valley Poetry facebook page (“events”) and the link and updates in the event discussion. We also post reminders on our Instagram page.
The monthly mini workshop is meant to be a quick prompt, exercise, introduction to a form, etc. that participants can use later on. Some participants share the draft, as we typically plan for about ten minutes of writing and practice. After a few shares and reflection, we transition quickly into the open mic portion of the evening. Please feel free to reach out to Lynn (elynnalexander@gmail.com) with any questions or accommodation needs. The topics are posted ahead for those who prefer to view here on the website and follow along.
Monthly Mini: November 2022 “I” Poetry – Confessional
Many of us are familiar with “confessional” poets, like Anne Sexton and Robert Lowell. Confessional poetry is personal, autobiographical, personal experiences and perspectives and “I” language. You have probably written poems like this before, or read poems like this. Some poets are less comfortable with this style, some prefer to write this way most of the time.
First, let’s think about this by looking at some reasons:
“I write about my experience from my point of view, because it is familiar to me.”
“I share in first person language so the reader identifies, individual to individual.”
“I don’t write from an ‘I’ perspective because I want my themes to be universal, less about me and more about a subject.”
Think about what the style might accomplish. Using some of the prompts below, pay attention to how you feel about writing this way and some of the feelings that come up if it isn’t comfortable.
“I faced ____ and I _______”
“I am ______ and I _________”
“I never knew you _______”
“I carried _____”
What feelings come up with confessional writing?
