Katz Leads Bishop Seminar at Poetry By the Sea

I’m thrilled to announce that I will again be leading The Master Poets Critical Seminar at the Poetry by the Sea Conference, which will be held on May 21 through May 24 in Madison, Conn. The 2023 seminar focused on Marianne Moore; quite logically, this year’s will zero in on the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop. Fronting the Long Island Sound, the site of the conference, the Mercy by the Sea retreat is a lovely, meditative place to spend a few days in the presence of the art of poetry. Join me, if you can.

The Master Poets Critical Seminar gives us the exciting opportunity to study a master poet, develop our ideas and practice, and engage in meaningful conversation with others about the poetry of a great artist. In focusing on close readings of Bishop’s poems, we may discover ways to sharpen our own work.

What can we, as poets, learn from Bishop, the most painterly of poets, about scene-setting?

What can we, as poets, learn from Bishop, the most painterly of poets, about scene-setting?

About articulating a sense of place from her great evocations of sea and shoreline, highway and roadside?

About adjusting our verse to its subject matter from Bishop’s fluid uses of form and free verse?

In preparation for the seminar, participants will independently study Bishop’s poetry. At the Conference, they will each be asked to make a brief presentation to other seminar participants on a Bishop poem of their choice or on an aspect of her work. Participants can opt for the seminar when registering for the 2024 Conference. For more information or to contact the seminar leader, email poetryby_thesea@yahoo.com with the subject line “Seminar.”