Course Description:Blues poems have many forms. The first half of this poetry workshop considers various forms of the blues poem, both sonically and contextually. To honor the foundational contributions of blues women and femmes in music, generative writing exercises will be shaped by their song lyrics and poetry, alike. For the second half of the workshop, we will write “centos,” a poetry form named after the Latin word for garment pieces sewn together to create a patchwork. Writing exercises will specifically echo the African and African American traditions of quilting, also known as Nsaduaso or Kente. Participants will leave with two new poems. For further reading, I recommend one of my favorite books, author Daphne Duval Harrison’s Black Pearls: Blues Queens of the 1920s.
If you are not able to participate, please consider donating to Help María Fernanda Develop Her Screenplay (at a Residency)! or via venmo @mariafernandapoet.
Why GoFundMe?
The contribution on GoFundMe allows María Fernanda raise funds for her screenplay and has continued to be used successfully by participants of María Fernanda's ongoing discounted poetry workshops beginning August 1, 2025 as part of raising these funds. If you have any concerns, please contact our team here to support you.
Why Venmo?
The registration is on Venmo due to the cost of ticketing platforms. The Venmo platform has continued to be used successfully by participants of María Fernanda's ongoing series Let's Write Poetry Saturdays from January 2024 to present. If you have any concerns, please contact our team here to support you.