Bernadette Mayer will lead her continuing workshop series on a Summer Session beginning in May 2014. She will once again provide participating poets with the opportunity to engage in her language experiments. This session will also place an added emphasis on poetry as it appears on the page. Bernadette discussed the Summer Session saying all participants would be creating “unusual usable musical poetry” as a result of the workshop experiences. She will also talk about her mentors and contemporaries and suggest new directions in verse. She will also suggest books you should have to aid in your writing and how to publish your poems. Bernadette will continue to write and distribute new poems for the benefit of workshop participants and subject matter.
Kevin Killian writing on Famous Poetry Workshops mentions Bernadette Mayer’s Poetry Project Workshop in NYC “that gave birth to all those exercises.” Locally, Bernadette has been exercising and teaching those poets who have taken advantage of poetry workshops held in her living room.
Bernadette Mayer’s poetry writing workshop takes place at her home in East Nassau, NY. The workshop will meet on five Saturdays: May 3,June 7, July 5, August 2 and September 6, 2014, Each meeting will take place between 2pm – 4pm. Mayer will facilitate a conducive atmosphere that will bring forth enhanced new poems from each of the participants. Total Cost: $65.00, including drinks and light refreshments served. Workshop limited to eight participants.
Bernadette Mayer (born May 12, 1945 in Brooklyn, NY ) is a poet and prose writer. In 1967 she received a BA from New School for Social Research. She has since edited the journal 0 TO 9 with Vito Acconci and the United Artists Press with Lewis Warsh, and worked as Director of St. Mark’s Poetry Project. Her new book Helens of Troy is a Spring 2012 release by New Directions. For more than a decade she and poet Philip Good has lived in East Nassau. From the beginning of this series of workshops in September 2011, she has provided an expansive menu of poetic technique and belief as well as her careful listening to an appreciative core of workshop participants including Philip Good, Alan Casline, Edie Abrams and Howard Kogan. These poets have become regulars who continue to attend each new workshop session. They welcome new participants to their lively get together.
Contact: By e-mail contact ACASLINE@AOL.COM to reserve your place. The mailing address if e-mail is not available is Rootdrinker, P.O. Box 522, Delmar, NY 12054.
Directions: Take Route 20 East from the Capital District. Just pass Brainard turn left on Route 66 North towards Troy. After a short time on Route 66 take a left on to Tatsawawassa Rd. Mayer’s house is 53 Tatsawawassa Rd. Red in color, it is the first house on the left side of the road. Google map using 53 Tatsawawassa, East Nassua, NY as destination is recommended. Car pool from Albany area is available.
Payment: Payment of $65 may be made by check or money order. $40 of the total is a tax deductible contribution. Payment check should be made out to “Committee on Poetry”. IMPORTANT: write “Friends of Bernadette Mayer Fund” on check memo. Provide your mailing address to receive a letter to include in your tax returns for your deductions.
Send you payment to Alan Casline, Rootdrinker Institute, PO Box 522, Delmar, NY 12054. We will verify your payment for the workshop and forward your contribution for your tax deduction.
