Generative Craft Class with Maya C. Popa

​On December 21, from 2-4 PM EST, I’ll be teaching a 2‑hour generative craft class diving into the underrated, luminous work of poet Laura Gilpin. We will read well beyond “The Two-Headed Calf,” discussing the work of caregiving and of poetry, and approaching both with deep curiosity and attention to mystery.

​The session will include:

• ​Close reading a selection of Gilpin’s poems, paying particular attention to how she handles the subject of mortality and the role of the caregiver

• ​Discussion of how Gilpin’s experiences as a nurse shaped her inquiries about life, death, meaning, and the everyday

• ​A 20-min writing exercise from a selection of prompts inspired by Gilpin to help you write a poem (or piece of creative nonfiction!) grounded in the visible and the invisible. I will ask for volunteers to share, and I will offer verbal feedback to push the next draft forward.

​This class is for you if you’re drawn to poetry that intersects with healthcare and caregiving and if, like Gilpin, you’re ready to ask deeper questions on the page about the nature of life, “can you tell me what life is?”