BROOKSVILLE — The Brooksville Free Public Library is offering two poetry workshops with Bea Gates to take place over Zoom free. Space is limited.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 3 and 10, a workshop will celebrate the work of Joy Harjo, the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States who writes incantations that demand facing brokenness and loss with an imagination as wide and hope-filled as the horizon and with anger that deepens the cause of poetry as a force for healing.

A member of the Muskogee Nation, she has published nine poetry books, including “An American Sunrise,” “Conflict Resolution for Holy Being,” “The Woman Who Fell from the Sky” and “In Mad Love and War” as well as the memoir, “Crazy Brave.” The experience of listening and reading her poems will create a flow of responses and awakenings, including her performing, playing her saxophone and flutes, with the Arrow Dynamics Band and Poetic Justice.

Joy Harjo has accepted re-appointment as Poet Laureate for two more years, so the workshop will be accompanied by her deep vision and full expression as people travel forward. The workshop will provide samples from Harjo in text, audio and performances on YouTube. Have the relevant assigned materials for each session (downloaded) for the discussion.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 and 24 and Oct. 1 and 8, the workshop will highlight “Poets of the World: Walt Whitman and Pablo Neruda.” This is a four-week offering with two sessions on each poet with overlapping content. Neruda would be in translation. Gates was studied with Alastair Reid, the first English language translator of Neruda.

To sign up, email brook@brooksvillelibrary.org or call the library at 207-326-4560.


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