Recent and Upcoming Workshops and Events

Zanibar's - 2nd Fridays

Dan Troxell continues to arrange and often host poets and readings on the 2nd Friday of each month at 8:00 p.m. at Zanzibar's, a coffeehouse at 28th and Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines. These are free and open to the public. Check with Dan at dan_troxell@yahoo.com about the programs, or just drop in and share the fun.

IPA Fall Workshop - Sat. Apr. 26, 2008

At Wesley United Methodist Church - 800 E. 12th Street, Des Moines
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; workshop at 9:00 a.m.

If you are new to IPA or have not yet attended one of our semi-annual workshops, here's our usual format:

Any member planning to attend the workshop may submit a single poem, up to 20 lines, no name on poem sheet, please. Non-members may do so on a first-time visitor basis. One of two qualified critics receives your poem in advance, studies it, writes comments -- some of which may be in addition to those he/she gives verbally at the workshop. Your original poem is returned to you at the end of the day.

Workshop starts promptly at 9:00 a.m. (Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Coffee & juice will be ready.) Cost of the noon meal is included in your $9.00 fee. If you prefer NOT to eat on site, a workshop fee of $3.00 applies, whether or not you have sent in a poem. However, we encourage you to stay the whole day to get the most benefit from comments on upwards of fifty poems in a variety of forms and content. We usually finish between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m.

A brief business meeting, as necessary, follows the noon recess: Secretary's, Treasurer's, Editor's reports, etc.

Our critics this year:

Bill Rudolph IPA's president 2001-04, is "coming home" to share his expertise with us. Bill earned his FMA in Poetry at Vermont College and has had poems published in The Nebraska Review, The Comstock Review, The Briar Cliff Review, and many other literary journals. His day job is teaching writing, literature and humanities at Grinnell High School and says his wife and two kids provide an inexhaustible source of material for his avocation. Many will remember his compilation of our expressions of dismay and pain after 9/11.

Steven Rose was our 2nd place winner in the Adult General category last year, the third time he's won that honor. He has had other poetry, fiction and non-fiction variously published. Steve holds a Bachelor's and Master's in English education from the University of Nebraska (Lincoln). Steve taught high school English and journalism for 12 years, has been at Simpson College 13 years, where his current position is Professor of Education.

Remember, the purpose of a workshop is to give you help with work you're not sure about, rather than to get you rounds of applause for what you considered a "finished" poem. Comments are made about the poem, not about you, the poet. Your early registration is helpful.

Send your poem for critique. 20-line limit, no name on poem sheet, please. Deadline - April 1st, 2008.

$9.00 includes noon meal. (If you choose to eat elsewhere, workshop fee of $3.00 applies.) Please phone cancellation to Lucille (515 279-1106) if you find you cannot attend.

Print out this page, send the completed registration form below, your poem and cheque to:

Lucille Morgan Wilson, 2325 61st Street, Des Moines, IA 50322 before April 1st, 2008

Name ___________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________

Workshop & Lunch $ 9.00 $______________
Or No lunch $3.00 $______________

Title of poem for critique _________________________________________________________

Dues, Regular $8, Patron $15 (Membership year is from Oct.1-Sept.30) $______________

Total amount enclosed (make cheques payable to Iowa Poetry Association, do not send cash) $________