On June 25 2019 twenty-five avid poets gathered at the lovely home of our Membership Secretary, Susan Rosenberg, in Haifa, for a workshop on the general theme of poetic form.
Three presentations, all given by Voices members, were each followed by a writing exercise and time for participants to read the poems written during the exercise period.
- Iris Dan, from the Haifa Voices group, gave a presentation entitled “The Thing in Itself and the Thing in Oneself (Poets Rush in where Philosophers Fear to Tread)” on the objective, subjective and symbolic visions of poet and reader in interpreting a poem.
- Judy Koren, also from the Haifa Voices group, gave a presentation on metaphor and allusion, entitled “What is a Meta for? Does ‘allusive’ mean ‘elusive’? – on the Uses and Abuses of some Figures of Speech.”
- Susan Olsburgh, from the Netanya Voices group, our President, gave a presentation on the Villanelle poetic form.
This workshop aroused great interest, with a waiting list in addition to the 25 attendees. It attracted several non-members, including two from the Haifa English Theatre, and two who decided to join just before or at the workshop.
The participants were invited to submit poems written during the workshop, or edited versions of them, for publication in the workshop chapbook, which as usual was designed by our own Johnmichael Simon.
A few photos of the event:
Presenters Judy Koren and Iris Dan
Hostess Susan Rosenberg with chapbook producer Johnmichael Simon, looking at chapbooks from previous workshops.
Voices Israel Group of Poets in English 