A Poetry Masquerade

The Poetry Salon, an LA-based organization offering poetry workshops and professional development for writers, will soon expand their poetry teachings with the publication of their first poetry handbook, Method and Mystery: A Research-Based Guide to Teaching Poetry, Plus Sixty Original Prompts to Take Your Students Deeper. The book launch will take place on Saturday, June 22nd, 2019, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at Art Share LA in downtown Los Angeles.

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Census Bureau, 28 million Americans are currently reading poetry—the highest percentage of poetry readership in almost two decades. At a time when academia is charging tens of thousands for MFA degrees in poetry, The Poetry Salon helps writers achieve proficiency for a fraction of the cost in small groups in someone’s living room.

The Poetry Salon originated in 2013, inspired by Tresha Haefner’s unique post-graduate study of the psychology of creativity at Saybrook University. The organization seeks to build infrastructure that will advance the craft of poetry, support writers and writing entrepreneurs, and build a wide network of poetry appreciators. Method and Mystery was conceived straight from the trenches of The Poetry Salon’s advanced poetry workshops, structured around more than two years of original curriculum.

“We think The Poetry Salon can work anywhere, and showing up-and-coming teachers how it’s done is a big part of that. The trick is to provide enough guidance to make students feel safe and give them direction, but not too much that they feel hemmed in,” Haefner explains. “Put a group of writers under one roof and set them on a creative goal, and their ability to stimulate genius in one another is awe-inspiring.”

The book launch celebration on June 22nd will feature local poets reading their work, some “seriously nerdy lit comedy,” opera singers, dance, writing games, food and other treats. The festivities will also feature winners from a poetry contest and an open mic. Another book will be launched as well: The Best of the Poetry Salon 2013–2018, an anthology of top drawer verse developed by The Poetry Salon students. Many of The Poetry Salon students have gone on to publish their work widely and teach their own classes. The Poetry Salon invites anyone interested in the craft of poetry to attend this event and let their creativity unfold.

EVENT INFO

Method and Mystery: A Poetry Masquerade, Book Launch & Musical Cabaret
June 22nd, 1:00-4:00 PM // Art Share LA
801 E 4th Pl. Los Angeles, CA 90013

Tickets begin at $25, and include the cost of the book Method and Mystery, or $35 for both books. All proceeds go to providing scholarships for talented students who need tuition assistance, as well as daily operating costs of Poetry Salon programs.

Get tickets at Eventbrite: http://methodandmystery.eventbrite.com

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