Poetry of Presence Virtual Discussion Series

Poetry of Presence: A five-week discussion class For five weeks, we?ll immerse ourselves in mindfulness poems from the recently published collection Poetry of Presence (Grayson Books, 2017). Poets in the collection include Mary Oliver, Naomi Shihab Nye, Wendell Berry, Li-Young Lee, Raymond Carver, Ellen Bass, Lucille Clifton, Octavio Paz, Nikki Giovanni, Kahlil Gibran, Rumi, Billy Collins, Charles Bukowski, Marge Piercy, and Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. As the editors say, these are poems that ?inspire us to live better, and to make our world better; at the same time, they grant us a taste of being good enough, just as we are, in this world, just as it is.? Each week, we?ll read and discuss these writings that, according to Fr. Richard Rohr, invite us to live ?undefended,? poems that lead us ?into a deeper communion with the world.? Participants will need to purchase a book prior to the class, available for $21.95 online at poetryofpresencebook.com or through Amazon. Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer has 10 collections of poetry. Her next, Naked for Tea, comes out in 2018 (Able Muse Press). She served as the third Colorado Western Slope Poet Laureate (2015-2017) and is poetry editor for the gourmet magazine Edible Southwest. She teaches poetry for 12-step recovery programs, hospice, mindfulness retreats, women's retreats and more. One-word mantra: Adjust. www.wordwoman.com