Poets and writers in western North Carolina recognize Dr. Gene Hirsch as the founder of the writing program at the John C. Campbell Folk School.
He has
taught poetry there for twenty-two years. Writers Circle in Hayesville, NC will
host a workshop, Inspiration and Poets’ Block, by Hirsch on Sunday afternoon,
May 25, 1-4 p.m.
His
poetry has appeared in medical and non-medical journals such as Pharos (Medical
Honor Society), Hiram Poetry Review, Pittsburgh Gazette, Journal of Medical
Humanities, Fetishes (Univ. of Colorado), Journal of the American Medical
Society, Human Quest. He has written two
books, Along the Rutty Pot Hole Road and You Shall Die Again No More. Anthologies include Echoes Across the Blue
Ridge, Tyranny of the Normal, Crossing Limits (African Americans and American
Jews). He has produced five volumes of
Freeing Jonah, poetry, from Western North Carolina.
Writers
sometimes feel they must wait to be inspired before they can create a poem.
Often they feel blocked and become frustrated with themselves.
Hirsch says, “Inspiration
and writer’s block are two widely used, poorly understood antithetical terms. In this
class we will study and share your views and experiences with these concepts.” He
asks participants of this class, limited to 8 students, to bring a poem to
discuss in terms of inspiration and meaning to the poet, and bring 10 copies.
Western North
Carolina and North Georgia is an area where poets have flourished in the past
twenty years due to knowledgeable teachers such as Dr. Hirsch and Nancy Simpson
of Hayesville. Poetry books by local writers are published each year.
While writing
is a solitary art, writers need community and coming together with others. To register for this poetry workshop, contact
Glenda Beall, 828-389-4441 or email glendabeall@aol.com
. Find more online at www.glendacouncilbeall.blogspot.com.
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