NOTE: Skips Apri 26, May 10 Eco Poetry Workshop is a creative and generative class for anyone interested in writing poetry that listens closely to the living world around us. We'll explore how poems can reflect our deep connections to land, climate, animals, language, and place. Forrest Gander reminds us that ecopoetry asks “how we are involved in—and a part of—all that surrounds us,” offering insight into the complex relationships between nature and culture. Through reading contemporary ecopoets, sharing work, and writing prompts, participants will develop poems that respond to the environment with curiosity and imagination. Open to all levels of poets. Send in 1-2 poems to karenjavits@gmail.com by April 16 for opening discussion. About the Instructor: Karen Javits is a poet and educator and current PhD candidate in Literary Studies at Georgia State University, where she teaches composition and creative writing. With over 25 years of teaching experience, Karen has taught writing to middle and high school students, students in the refugee and immigrant communities, and college-level students. She has been involved in several writing programs, including the Sewanee Writer's Conference as a Tennessee Williams Scholar, the Ossabaw Island Writer's Retreat, poetry workshops at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, and Poetry at Tech workshops. This past summer, she earned an MFA in Poetry from Georgia State University. Her poetry has been published in Crosswinds Journal, The Ekphrastic Review, and Crab Creek Review, and her poem won an International Merit Award in The Atlanta Review. Originally from Miami Beach, Florida, Karen now lives in Decatur, GA, with her family. She enjoys reading, writing, walking in nature, and spending time near the water.