Uncanny Activisms: Poems as Spells, Curses, Prayers, and Blessings

Protest poetry informs us about crisis, attempting to inspire change among human beings. This roundtable, however, addresses an increasingly common variety of protest poetry that delivers its petitions for change to the more-than-human world. Participants Cynthia Hogue, Lesley Wheeler, Pamela Uschuk, and Andy Young will discuss the stakes and audiences of prayers and spells; what stylistic and structural elements help focus such a poem’s energy; and what social, environmental, and personal transformations the authors seek. Each poet will comment on these questions and read a few poems. The event will close with several writing prompts to inspire the audience to experiment with this powerful mode.

https://youtu.be/dUunM-OStho