Poetry Workshop

Workshop is one of my favorite things to do; not only do you get to read what your peers are putting out/capable of, but you get to be a voice that guides them to something stronger, hopefully. I think the importance of starting on good things is key because it creates a safe environment and makes the poet realize that the workshop purpose is not to tear their poem to pieces. The point is to take the parts that everybody already likes and to enhance the parts that aren't as strong to match the good parts. It also lets the poet see what in their poem is unclear; if the poet knows what an image is supposed to be, it doesn't really matter if that doesn't appear to the reader without the poet's aid. The role of workshop is to point out those moments.
Workshopping my own work is also great, no matter whether the feedback is good or bad. There have been workshops that I've come out of feeling incredibly dejected and awful (not in this class, don't worry) but when I come back to that poem later with a clear head and the comments on my poem it always make sense. The poem was a mess and it was never malicious. One thing that has been strange for me in a new workshop setting is to try and figure out how harsh I can be. I am used to going into workshop and being very blunt about the things that are not working, but in a new setting, and with people that are new to it, that doesn't feel appropriate. New workshop settings are strange and it takes a lot of trust of the peers around you.