Sundress Academy for the Arts Presents "You Really Got A Hold On Me: A Generative Pop Culture Poetry Workshop"

The Sundress Academy for the Arts is excited to present “You Really Got a Hold on Me”: A Generative Pop Culture Poetry Workshop, led by Shannon Wolf on May 11, 2022, from 6-7:30 PM. This event will be held over Zoom. Participants can access the event at tiny.utk.edu/sundress (password: safta).

The Sopranos brought about a generation filled with fans who found themselves inexplicably drawn to Tony Soprano’s heavy breathing and violent leadership. Fans of the show Killing Eve are consistently torn between troubled MI5 officer Eve Polastri and the object of her detection, the dastardly but captivating Villanelle. What is it about these characters that compels us to talk about them, to think about them, and to write about them? In looking outward to these characters, we look inward.

In this 90-minute generative poetry workshop, you’ll drill down on a character from popular culture who fascinates you in some way. You’ll look at examples of pop culture poetry from writers including Morgan Parker, and Hanif Abdurraquib, and with two short writing periods, you’ll begin drafting work, and even share a line or two. Come along, make sense of your interior life and get an excuse to re-binge your favorite show.

While there is no fee for this workshop, those who are able and appreciative can make direct donations via Venmo @helloshanwolf.

Shannon Wolf is a British writer and teacher, living in Denver, Colorado. Her debut full-length poetry collection Green Card Girl is forthcoming from Fernwood Press. She received a joint MA-MFA in Poetry at McNeese State University and also has degrees from Lancaster University and the University of Chichester. She is the Co-Curator of the Poets in Pajamas Reading Series. Her poetry, short fiction, and non-fiction (which can also be found under the name Shannon Bushby) have appeared in The Forge, No Contact Mag, and HAD among others. You can find her on social media @helloshanwolf.

The Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) is a writers residency and arts collective that hosts workshops, retreats, and residencies for writers in all genres including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, journalism, academic writing, playwriting, and more.