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Participants in face to face courses must comply with any precautionary measures related to COVID-19 that Writing NSW puts in place.

This poetry writing course, On Paying Attention: A poetry workshop with Sara Saleh, will be held at Writing NSW in Sydney.

Attention is the beginning of devotion, as Mary Oliver said, and what is poetry but the ultimate form of devotion? The power, wonder and possibilities of all that is around us entreat our attention. In this workshop, we will explore poetry as the art of paying attention. Drawing on and intimately engaging with the works of poets such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Aracelis Girmay, and guided by a range of prompts and techniques, Sara Saleh will take you through workshopping poems born out of the act of noticing, of being dedicated and open to our exteriors, and interiors. We will write poetry that ebbs and flows with what surrounds us, with what we tend to (and remember to tend to) and what we love.

Hear Sara share her work in this Sydney Writers Festival conversation, ‘Unacknowledged Legislators.’

Is this course right for you? Read our FAQ >

Expected learning outcomes

Participants will:

1. Gain an understanding of the somatic experience and being in the world as poetic resource.
2. Experience a nurturing environment in which poetic work will be engaged with tenderly and rigorously.
3. Learn how to cultivate practices of attention and holding space for the intricacies of language we love.
4. Workshop a draft poem and receive feedback.

Participant requirements

Pen and paper, laptop optional. Please read our FAQ before enrolling.

If you have questions about this course and/or COVID-safe guidelines, please contact us.

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