National Poetry Month Is Over, but Let’s Linger a While Longer

May 11

I love poetry. Sometimes that feels like a statement that separates me from people. But when I settle into reading the poetry that resonates with me, I feel held; I feel like I’ve come home; I feel like I can make sense of the world and its vast chaos. I’ve been drawn to poetry for too many years to count. One of my earliest gifts was a book of children’s poetry from my grandparents on my fourth birthday. Clearly, I was meant for poetry, and poetry was meant for me. In my exploration over all of these many years, I gained something I wasn’t expecting: my writing not only grew stronger, but my voice shaped itself into a haven for me.

I didn’t set out to be a poet, but I think like one and I experience the world as one, regardless of what I’m writing or reading. Poetry requires you to be specific with an economy of words. It requires you to come to clarity in a short space on the page. It allows you to access emotion and meaning with precision and also with grace and compassion. Reading and writing poetry has made all of my writing better. It has given me access to space and longing and awe and wonder and hope and melancholy.

Recently, I took a class offered by the American Poetry Association on the work of Mary Oliver across her career. I loved it so much, diving into all her work over a few months’ time, letting myself explore and linger. I resonate so much with her work, but I also resonate with her method of being in nature to gain inspiration, solace, and companionship with the natural world.

It’s not a surprise that my creativity yearned to connect my work to Mary Oliver’s approach to writing. Last summer, I was on a walk through the dune woods in Saugatuck, Michigan, and I had an idea inspired by Mary Oliver and her poetry that absolutely would not leave me alone: create a nurturing workshop series that helps writers connect to nature and themselves as inspiration in the writing process—a rewilding of our voices that touches all of the seasons. And this year, I am making that vision real.

April saw the first of these retreats, and it was more than I could have hoped for! One of the participants wrote this about the retreat:

“I can't say enough about how much I loved Heather's Rewilding retreat. From the smallest details, which I won't give away, to the thoughtful way Heather organized, facilitated, and led us through the process of discovery and deepening our writer's voice. That, and the way, she worked in little outings to beautiful, funky, and inspiring places around Saugatauk—a perfect nature retreat (for writers or anyone)—to expand our creative thinking. (And, a word about the food and the lodging. Both were beyond expectations.) Really, everything was so good, I want to go back!”

If you are interested in learning more about rewilding your writer’s voice, I have more opportunities!

Summer: June 9-12 (Saugatuck, Michigan)

Autumn: September 20-25 (Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York)

Winter-ish: November 13-16 (Saugatuck, Michigan)

You can learn more about the experience and/or sign up HERE. (Space is limited.)

And if you are curious about whether or not this workshop/retreat is a good fit for you and where you are in your writing journey, let’s find a time to have a conversation! Schedule HERE.

My Monthly Reading List

If this isn’t a writing season for you, perhaps it’s time to nurture your reading habit. It’s so hard to pick a book to start with when there are so many wonderful options to choose from in so many different genres! So here are my picks for April & May: this list features a collection of poets spanning work over the past 100 years:

Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: 50 Poems for 50 Years by Joy Harjo, copyright 2022
The Dream of the Unified Field: Selected Poems 1974-1994 by Jorie Graham, copyright 1997
Collected Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay, copyright 1956

If you’ve already read some or all of these collections, I heartily recommend a revisit! You will not have the same experience as you did on your first read because you are not the same person as you were when you first read them. If you are new to these poets, I’m so excited for you!

If you are restarting your reading habit, pick one or two of these to dive into this week. Visit your local library or bookstore and soak in the goodness as you peruse the shelves. There are so many voices waiting for you there. Your voice will blossom as you enter into relationship with these kindred spirits.

See you on the page,

Heather