Writers in the Mountains (WIM) will present The Journey from Theme to Images to Poem with Sharon Ruetenik, May 7 to June 18, 2018 (skipping Memorial Day). The class will be held Mondays, 6 to 8 pm, at the Andes Public Library.
This class will embrace the message of the Song Dynasty poet Wei T’ai, “Poetry presents the thing in order to convey the feeling. It should be precise about the thing and reticent about the feeling.” We will use a series of umbrella themes that participants may interpret in a way meaningful to them. Emphasis will be on the use of imagery and narrative to express an emotional landscape. Themes will include “Home Sweet Home,” “In the Still of the Night,” “Animal Planet,” “Once Upon A Time,” “Into the Woods,” and “How Does Your Garden Grow?” Both beginning and advanced writers are encouraged to attend, share their work, and give and receive helpful feedback from the other members of our group.
The instructor will supply weekly samples and prompts.
Sharon Ruetenik is the author of a poetry chapbook, The Wooden Bowl. She is currently working on a manuscript of sevenlings. Her work has appeared in print and online journals, most recently The Green Door. Ruetenik was awarded a poetry fellowship at the Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts. As a speaker for the New York Council for the Humanities, she has lectured on short stories, novellas, and poetry. Her day job is working at SUNY Delhi as the coordinator of the Writing Center, the international student advisor, and adjunct instructor in composition and literature. Ruetenik lives in Delhi with her family, which includes many large dogs and several indolent cats.
To register, call Jean Stone at (607) 326-4802, or e-mail her at jtstone@catskill.net. To register online, visit writersinthemountains.org. Class fee is $70, if you register and pay by April 16, and $85 after that.
