Personal letters, government records, clinical assessments, medical records, field notes, newspaper articles, journal entries, court proceedings…what do these all have to do with poetry? In this generative workshop we’ll look at how poets have incorporated and adapted found language and forms from these kinds of documents to create richly textured poems. Participants should bring with them examples of at least two different types of these archival documents – either historical or contemporary – and be prepared to write.

This class is suitable for all levels.

Lynnell Edwards’ most recent collection of poetry, The Bearable Slant of Light (Red Hen Press, 2024), documents the burden and beauty of mental illness in one family and across this history of writers and artists. Her other collections include This Great Green Valley (Broadstone Books, 2020), a chapbook of documentary poetry based on revisionist narratives of Kentucky’s pioneer founding in the 18th century. She is a founding member and past president of Louisville Literary Arts and also served on the Kentucky Women Writers Conference Board of Directors.

Cancellation Policy:

The Carnegie Center reserves the right to cancel a class if minimum enrollment is not met. It is best to register early to help our instructors prepare and to ensure the class does not get cancelled. We evaluate registration numbers 6–2 business days before a class starts to decide whether we can hold the class. Classes that do not meet minimum enrollment will be cancelled 6 –2 business days prior to the first class meeting. All participants will be notified by email and will receive full refunds.