Every year, Poets & Patrons hosts workshops, led by established
poets, editors, and teachers.
Open Mic on Valentine’s day theme
Saturday, 2/13/21
2–4 pm
Linda Wallin © 2017
February Zoom Workshop
Poem Submission Deadline:
Received by February 13, 2021
Poem Submission Fee:
$5 for members, $10 for non-members
Pay securely online (below) or mail your check to our treasurer.
Creating Memoir from Linked Poems
Workshop leader: Arlyn Miller
Saturday, February 27, 2021, 1 – 4 pm
It may be said that a memoir is like a movie and a poem is like a snapshot. In this workshop, we’ll explore how thematically linked poems may be used to create a developed narrative, akin to memoir, with open spaces that enhance poetic impact. Arlyn will share examples of work by poets who have done this successfully.
Optional Workshop Assignment: Poets are invited to submit one poem not exceeding two pages in length by February 13, 2021 for critique by Arlyn and by the group as time permits. The poem submitted may relate to the topic for the workshop but does not have to do so.
Submitting Poems for the Workshop: If you do the assignment, email your submission to wildamorris@ameritech.net with P & P in the subject line. Deadline: received by February 13th. If you do not receive a reply to an emailed poem, call Wilda at 630/739-2983 to be sure your poem was received.
Fee: The workshop is free if you do not submit a poem. If you submit a poem for critique, the workshop fee is $10 for non-members, $5 for members. If you submit a poem, you must pay the fee even if you do not attend the meeting because the poems are critiqued in advance (leader feedback will be mailed to you if you are unable to attend the meeting). Please pay online (below), or mail your check, made out to Poets & Patrons, before the meeting to Mike Freveletti, 0N333 Cottonwood Drive, Wheaton, IL 60187.
It’s easy to join Poets & Patrons on our membership page. Membership dues of $20 are due at the beginning of the year.
Arlyn Miller is a published poet, essayist, and journalist. Arlyn has taught thousands of children and adults poetry-based expressive writing in schools, libraries, houses of worship, and other community venues. Arlyn is also the founding editor of Poetic License Press which publishes poetry that is authentic, accessible, and engaging. You can find out more about Arlyn’s work at www.poeticlicenseinc.net.
Past Events
August 29, 2020
Variations on a Theme
Led by Mardelle Fortier
February 22, 2020
Travelogue, a workshop on Travel Poetry
Led by Jennifer Dotson and Maureen Tolman Flannery
August 24, 2019
Chaos In Fourteen Lines:
Writing Sonnets In Your Own Words In Our Own Times
Led by Debra Bruce
June 22, 2019
A Moment in Time
Led by Donna Pucciani and Pamela Miller
April 27, 2019
The Name Game
Led by Gail Goepfert and Patrice Boyer Claeys
February 23, 2019
Noir, Now
Led by Jenene Ravesloot and John O’Connor
August 25, 2018
Time for a Turn
Led by Sandra Marchetti and Krystal Languell Saturday,
June 23, 2018
A Poem in Dialogue with Another Poem
Led by Jan Bottiglieri and Tony Trigilio
April 28, 2018
Verbalize It: How the Best Action Word Can Enliven Your Poem
Led by Poets & Patrons workshop chair Wilda Morris, author of Szechwan Shrimp and Fortune Cookies: Poems from a Chinese Restaurant.
February 24, 2018
Weaving Magic into Poetry
Led by Rockford poet Christine Swanberg, author of The Red Lacquer Room,
Who Walks Among the Trees with Charity, The Alleluia Tree, and most recently Wild Fruition: Sonnets, Spells, and Other Incantations.
October 14, 2017
Golden Shovel Workshop
Led by Linda Wallin, president of Poets & Patrons and retired Special Education teacher.
August 26, 2017
Sonnets Are Fun!
Led by Mary Hanford, retired English professor and author of Holding to the Light (poetry), Dr. Sally’s Voodoo Man (novel), and Swimming at Villa Hugel (memoir).
June 18, 2017
Let Art Inspire Your Poetry: How to Be Ekphrastic
Led by Beth McDermott, Assistant Professor of English, St. Francis University, Joliet, and Associate Editor of RHINO
April 29, 2017
Speculative Poetry
Led by Caroline Johnson, Vice President and former President, Poets & Patrons of Chicago, and author of two chapbooks
February 25, 2017
What the Heck is a Prose Poem?
Led by Kathleen Rooney, Co-founder of Rose Metal Press and Senior Professional Lecturer,
DePaul University
October 29, 2016
Music as Muse
Led by Wilda Morris, Former President, Illinois State Poetry Society, and Workshop Chair, Poets & Patrons of Chicago
August 27, 2016
Using Fairy Tale, Myth and Legend in Your Poetry
Led by Jennifer Dotson, Program Coordinator, Highland Park Poetry, and winner of Journal of Modern Poetry Book Award
June 25, 2016
The Shape a Poem Makes
Led by Christine Swanberg, author of three books of poetry, workshop leader at The Clearing,
Door County, WI
April 23, 2016
What We Can Learn About Writing Poetry from Shakespeare
Led by William Yarrow, Professor of English, Joliet Junior College
February 27, 2016
In Praise of Praise Poems
Led by Tom Roby IV, President, Poets Club of Chicago and creator of The Poetry Wheel, and Jenene Ravesloot, author of three books of poetry
October 17, 2015
Surrealist Game Poetry
Led by Pamela Larson, poet, artist and photographer
August 22, 2015
Musical Matters
Led by Debra Bruce, Professor Emeritus, Northeastern Illinois University, and Andrea Witzke Slot, prize-winning novelist, poet and essayist
June 27, 2015
Writing the Spiritual Poem
Led by Judith Valente, winner of the Aldrich Poetry Prize and a Catholic Book Award, and correspondent for PBS
April 25, 2015
Love Poetry with an Attitude
Led by Marilyn Taylor, former Poet Laureate of Wisconsin
February 28, 2015
Confessional Poetry
Led by Albert DeGenova, publisher and editor of After Hours
October 25, 2014
The Fun Art of Haiku & Senryu
Led by Charlotte Digregorio, Midwest Coordinator, Haiku Society of America and author of Haiku and Senryu: a Simple Guide for All
August 23, 2014
Ekphrastic Poetry: Writing Poetry about Other Forms of Art
Led by Donna Vorreyer, author of 5 chapbooks and two full-length manuscripts, and Cynthia Gallaher, designated by Chicago Public Library as among its “Ten Top Requested Chicago Poets”
June 28, 2014
The Short Poem
Led by William Marr, author of more than 20 books of poetry and former President, Illinois State Poetry Society, and Patrick Dunn, Associate Professor of English, Aurora University
April 26, 2017
Writing Chicago
Led by Caroline Johnson, author of two chapbooks, and Wilda Morris, author of Szechwan Shrimp and Fortune Cookies: Poems from a Chinese Restaurant
February 22, 2014
Persona Poems
Led by Martha Modena Vertreace-Doody, Distinguished Professor of English and Poet-in-Residence at Kennedy-King College, and Donna Pucciani, widely published, award-winning poet