Putting Our Grandmothers on the Page: Poetry, Prose, Memoir & Monologue

Putting Our Grandmothers on the Page: Poetry, Prose, Memoir & Monologue (starting at $150)

“Grandma, come back, I forgot
how much lard for these rolls.”

Carolyn Forche’s poem, "The Morning Baking," is an address to her dead grandmother that evokes powerful longing and confronts the limits of memory. Grandmothers are a universal archetype––those from whom we are descended, the grandmothers we are, as well as those who influence us from fairy tale and myth. Grandmothers are rich thematic territory for poetry and prose, but we face challenges of writing past cultural stereotypes or into historical silences. How do we leap beyond sentimentality to grapple with shifting cultural norms? Grandmothers both illuminate and shadow our personal, family and cultural identities. In this writing generative workshop, participants will use prompts of personal photos, objects, and memory to excavate and expand our ideas and feelings about “grandmother.” New and experienced writers are welcome.

Kelly is a poet, playwright and workshop facilitator and author of four poetry collections. Her award-winning plays are produced around the US and Canada, and published by dramatic publishers. A past IWWG Board Member, Kelly teaches creative writing, including Monologue Play Labs & Showcases.