Listening to Ourselves (virtual) with Cory Lavender

Overwhelm and desensitization are the cultural norm; artists counter them through attentiveness. As we work to write creatively, we can particularly benefit from learning to listen more carefully—to others and to ourselves.

This poetry-forward workshop aims to help writers of all kinds to tune in, at greater depth, to where their words come from. We’ll begin by considering how sound constantly enters our ears, while listening depends on how our brains respond. We tend to shut sounds out, especially in urban environments, but listening openly—to the whole spectrum—can be key to compassion. This includes compassion for others, from family members to fictional characters, but also for ourselves. We listen to ourselves; the self speaks to the self. 

Cory Lavender will speak about listening in his own life, its relation to family and his writing; will riff off of illuminating quotations from Susan Stewart, Pauline Oliveros, and Jean-Luc Nancy; and will share a number of relevant poems. Participants will be given time to tune in, to listen beyond the edge of their usual listening, and write out of the workshop experience, followed by discussion.