We host workshops and readings
led by established poets.

February Workshop

Saturday, February 25
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Via Zoom

Deadline to submit a poem for critique:
February 16

To learn more about Marilyn Taylor download the workshop flyer ⟶

Effective Poetry of Protest Zoom Workshop
Led by Marilyn Taylor

Saturday, February 25, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Virtually everybody who reads poetry nowadays is undoubtedly aware of a vast—and relatively new—sub-category over the past few decades: the poetry of protest or resistance. They may be volatile and opinionated—and, if well-written, powerful. But sometimes a protest poem will miss its mark. This workshop is intended to help you avoid many of the potholes, sand-traps and bottomless pits that stand in the way of your poem. And—despite W. S. Auden’s dubious claim that poetry makes nothing happen—when it’s well done, a poem of protest can point out how, when, and where something definitely should happen.

Workshop Assignment: Poets are invited to submit one poem (preferably a protest poem) for critique by February 16. Your submission, with P & P in the subject line, should be emailed to wildamorris4@gmail.com. If you do not get a reply to an e-mailed poem, call Wilda at 630/739-2983 to be sure your poem was received.

Marilyn L Taylor, former Poet Laureate of the state of Wisconsin and the city of Milwaukee, is the author of eight poetry collections. Her work has appeared in Poetry, American Scholar, and Measure, and has won a number of awards, including the Margaret Reid Poetry Prize for Verse in Forms, the Faust Sonnet Contest, and the 2021 “Better Than Starbucks” competition. 

Fee: The workshop is free if you do not submit a poem. If you submit a poem for critique, there is a fee of $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). Pay online using the buttons below, or mail your check made out to Poets & Patrons to Caroline Johnson, 709 Vinewood Avenue, Willow Springs IL 60480. It’s easy to join Poets & Patrons on our membership page. Membership dues of $20 are due at the beginning of the year.

Poem Submission Entry Fee Payment

If you submit a poem for critique, there is a fee of $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 poems are critiqued in advance (leader feedback will be emailed to you if you are unable to attend the Zoom meeting).

Click on the member or non-member poem submission entry fee button to add to cart:

Past Events

Putting Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes:
Persona Poems Workshop

Led by Pat Valdata
Saturday, August 27, 2022
In a persona poem, the speaker is someone other than the poet. It’s like playing pretend, with the added goal of revealing something interesting about our speaker. In this workshop, we read examples of persona poems that show how they reveal story and character. We discussed how to apply these techniques to our own work, and then we’ wrote a short persona poem.

Erasure Poetry Zoom Workshop

Saturday, June 25, 2022
Led by Bill Yarrow 
“Erasure poetry is a type of found poetry in which the poet takes an existing source text and creates their own poem by erasing, redacting…or otherwise obscuring the words in the original text. It’s a creative process without any “new” writing.” (https://edgeeffects.net/cfp-the-art-of-erasure-poetry/). Bill Yarrow will discussed erasure poetry and led us in a writing exercise.

Joint Poets & Patrons & Illinois State Poetry Society Zoom Workshop
Haiku Checklist Critique Workshop

Saturday, May 14, 2022
Led by Michael Dylan Welch
Poets were invited to submit two haiku (or senryu) for critique by Michael and the group. Michael’s “Haiku Checklist,” at https://www.graceguts.com/essays/haiku-checklist was provided in advance to participants preparing poems for submission.

Saturday, April 30

I’ve Got a Story For You: A Haibun Workshop

Held in conjunction with Poetry Fest at the Harold Washington Library
Facilitator: Jennifer Hambrick
Participants drafted original haibun for critique. Those who had already written haibun brought haibun drafts for critique.

March 19, 2022

Poetry Open Mic Celebrating Women’s History, via Zoom

Hosted by Charles Kouri, P&P vice president
The theme of this zoom open mic was Women’s History, in celebration of the 101st anniversary of women’s right to vote. Poets were encouraged to read poems inspired by this theme.

February 26, 2022

Creating Effective Haiku

Led by Michael Dylan Welch
The first workshop we have sponsored about the Japanese artform. Led by Michael Dylan Welch, a noted haiku poet and translator from Washington.

August 28, 2021

The Villanelle: a Poetry Zoom Workshop

The villanelle is a poetic form both famous and unknown. Many poets know the villanelle as a workshop exercise and have followed its intricate moves, sometimes ending with a thud and occasionally unleashing the form’s magic. Led by Debra Bruce we did a close reading of some villanelles to better understand what makes this happen.

August 7, 2021

Poetry Open Mic

Poets & Patrons hosted an open mic via Zoom for its members. The event was moderated by
P & P board member, Curt Vevang. Singer / Songwriter Bill Johnson was featured during the intermission.