Poetry, Led by Irene Blair Honeycutt
Irene Blair Honeycutt, born in Jacksonville, FL, is the author of four poetry books, the most recent being Beneath the Bamboo Sky: Poems & Pieces on Loss and Consolation (Main Street Rag 2017). Awards for her writing and advocacy of writers include a NC Arts Council Scholarship, a Creative Fellowship from the Charlotte Arts and Science Council, and a Best of Charlotte Award from Creative Loafing for Best Contribution to the Improvement of Charlotte’s Literary Climate. She founded Central Piedmont Community College’s Spring Literary Festival in Charlotte, NC, which expanded into Sensoria. At the college, she received the Award for Excellence in Teaching. Upon her retirement, the college established a Distinguished Lectureship, a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Legacy Award in her name. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including Nimrod, Southern Poetry Review, Virginia Quarterly and the Southern Poetry Anthology. She lives in Indian Trail, NC and remains actively involved in the writing community.
Poetry in the Passing Moment
'Grief is a floating barge boat. You never know where it will moor.' Charles Wright
This quote from Wright’s poem appeared in the New Yorker years ago, shortly following the loss of my kid brother. The images spoke to my heart and mind. One of the reasons I chose to share these lines for this workshop is that they say so much about the nature of poetry. Writing poetry is like following the river inside us. We can step into a barge boat, remember secret places, or walk a forgotten trail—trusting the river of writing, not knowing where the impetus of a poem will moor. This is magical and mystical. You are invited to venture into your imagination, to experience a poem as a container for grief, a vessel of hope.
We will discuss poems by Alberto Rios, Marie Howe, Jack Matthews, Denise Levertov, Edward Hirsch, Jane Hirshfield, Rilke, and Tracy K. Smith, among others. Come prepared to respond and to write!
