Come, writers, to the Mattapoisett Free Public Library’s A Writer’s Day Away to find “a room of one’s own” on Sunday April 29 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This year’s worship facilitators are the poets Scott Withiam and Barbara Siegel Carlson. Both are published in literary journals, have collections of poetry, and have taught writing.
Barbara Siegel Carlson is poet and translator whose work has appeared in journals such as New Ohio Review, Asheville Poetry Review, Prairie Schooner, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Agni, Mid-American Review and Cutthroat, where she was the Discovery Poet in 2010. She is the author of a chapbook Between This Quivering (Coreopsis Press) and a translator of Back, Look Ahead, Selected Poems of Srecko Kosovel from Slovene (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2010). Barbara lives in Carver, MA.
Scott Withiam’s poems are recently out in Agni, Antioch Review, Ascent, Beloit Poetry Journal, Cimarron Review, The Literary Review, Linebreak, Ploughshares and Rattle. He was the 2001 winner of Two Rivers Review Poetry Prize, the 2002 co-winner of Inkwell Magazine’s Poetry Competition, the 2004 recipient of the Ploughshares Cohen Award and winner of the Two Rivers Review Chapbook Contest. In 2006, he won the Drunken Boat Pan-Literary Prize for poetry. His first book, “Arson & Prophets” came out with Ashland Poetry Press in fall 2003. “Desperate Acts and Deliveries” came out in the fall of 2004. He currently is employed by a Boston-area non-profit and works with homeowners facing foreclosure.
The day’s approach will be up-beat and low-key, with prompts and exercises, and the opportunity to share your day’s writing should you choose. After a morning meet-and-greet over coffee and pastries provided by Uncle Jon’s Coffees, Scott and Barbara will offer their interesting and inspiring ideas for the day’s writing. Then we will go off to meet our muses in quiet places throughout the library to give the prompts a try. Scott and Barbara will be available to meet with us one-to-one for questions or to scope out our good “starts.” We will then reconvene around noon to talk about our experiences with the writing suggestions, and to share results. After a 45-minute lunch, Scott and Barbara will read their poetry, and we will conclude the day around 2:00.
Space is limited, and registration is required. You can contact the library at 508 758-4171. The workshop is free; donations to the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library are most appreciated.
(left) Barbara Siegel Carlson, (right) Scott Withiam