There’s No Place Like Poems: The Art of Reading Verse with Courage, Heart & Smarts (In Person)
Taught by Danielle Gasparro
Danielle Gasparro is a New York City- and Hudson River Valley-based wordsmith, songsmith, and teaching artist. She holds an MFA in Poetry from New England College and a BA in Creative Writing with honors from Florida State University. Having dedicated nearly two decades to performing, recording, touring, and developing an avid national and UK audience as a singer-songwriter, in 2018, Gasparro shifted her creative life and lens to her work as a literary artist. A published poet and passionate educator, Gasparro regularly presents a wide variety of writing and reading workshops, courses, and talks in partnership with public libraries, arts organizations, and continuing education programs. Her love of teaching extends to her work as a private writing mentor and a substitute English teacher within public and private high schools throughout NYC and the Hudson Valley. Gasparro is currently developing a hybrid memoir that fuses poetry, nonfiction, and photography. Learn more and sample her artistic voice & visions at: daniellegasparro.com
Do you walk in fear of poetry, yet also feel drawn to its imaginative charms and long to befriend it? Perhaps even waltz right up to its mystifying form and invite it inside for a cup of morning brew? If so—this intimate evening of scholarly delight is for you!
It’s no secret that great poems can, and often do, demand a lot from our curious, meaning-seeking minds. Still, as Elizabeth Alexander noted, "Poetry is the human voice—are we not of interest to each other?” Whether a well-crafted line of verse calls us to more truthfully and compassionately engage with the world around us or deep within us, poetry can seize our hearts, stir our souls, and enrich our lives like no other art form.
In this immersive, eye-opening class, you'll gain the skills and foster the spirit that will empower you to pull back the curtain on any poem’s word-wizardry and discover the unifying human truths, ideas, emotions, and questions that kindle at its core. Through compelling, interactive lessons and guided discussions, we’ll take close, purposeful looks at masterful works—both celebrated and lesser known—to identify and explore the many powerful devices poets use to evoke artistry from three essential categories of craft: language, imagery, and musicality. Impassioned readings and instructive writing exercises will thread each class and inspire a mental tapestry of “Aha!”- and “Aaaaaah”-stitched moments for you to tuck inside the hope chest of your soul.
Please note that both readers and writers of all experience and interest levels will benefit from taking this class! In the words of Mary Oliver: “To write well, it is entirely necessary to read widely and deeply. Good poems are the best teachers. Perhaps they are the only teachers.”
NOTE: Ticket price includes complimentary snacks & libations, and a printed packet of curated poems and instructional materials, all yours for the notating, keeping, and revisiting. Seating for this discussion-centered class will be limited to 13 participants, so register today!
