The Spirituality of Poetry: God-Quest

From the Psalms of King David to the Dramatic Narratives of Robert Frost
The Reading & Writing of Poetry

Supported by a grant from

New York State Council for the Humanities

Facilitator:  Annabelle Moseley (WWBA Writer-in-Residence 2009-2010)

Place:  Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site

UPDATED DATES AND TIMES:

Dates: Seven sessions to be held every other Sunday beginning September 30th.

Time:    All sessions 1-3 PM except those those marked*

Workshop Dates:

September  30

October 14, 28

NOVEMBER 4 SESSION CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY

November 18 (*Special time: 12-3 PM)

December 2nd* Reading (*Reading at special time-6:30-9:30 PM)

Final Session: December 16

Registration Fee:     $20

Open to the Public

Reading packets distributed at preliminary class.

Description:  Lecture, discussion, writing prompts, sharing.

This course will study the spiritual work of such luminary poets as Shakespeare, Milton, Rumi, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and many more through various poetic forms, from psalm to narrative.   There will be reading and discussion.  Writing exercises will also be given to complement the studies in each session.

Toward the end of the course, on Dec. 2, an evening reading will be held at the Walt Whitman Birthplace for all participating students to have the chance to perform the poems they have worked on in class.

Goals: Discussion and sharing, arriving at greater self-awareness, tolerance and understanding, multi-cultural appreciation and illumination, through the study of poetry.

Sept. 30    (1-3 PM)

Topic: Psalms of King David and the Spirituality of Jewish Poetry

Text:          Reading Packet

Oct. 14th     (1-3 PM)

Topic: John Milton to Thomas Merton: The Spirituality of Christian Poetry

Text:         Reading Packet

Oct. 28th (1-3 PM)

Topic: Hafiz, Rumi, and the Spirituality of Sufi Poetry

Text: Reading Packet

Nov. 18th (1-3 PM)**Special Extended Session

Topic: Spirituality and the Dramatic Narrative: Emily Dickinson to Robert Frost and Beyond

Dec. 2 (6:30-9:30 PM --Special time and extended session)

Topic: Spiritual Poems of the Holiday Season and Poetry in Performance

Text: Reading Packet

Dec. 16th (1-3 PM)

Topic: Contemporary Spiritual Poetry

Text: Reading Packet

Please register early as space is limited.

To register, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call  631-427-5240 (ext. 112)

Please give your phone number when registering via email.

A check for the registration fee of $20 should be made out to WWBA and mailed to:

Spirituality of Poetry

Walt Whitman Birthplace Association

246 Old Walt Whitman Rd.

Huntington, NY 11746

please mark check: Spirituality

About Annabelle Moseley:

Annabelle Moseley is the author of the full-length poetry collection, The Clock of The Long Now, which made The Poetry Foundation's Bestseller List for Contemporary Poetry, (ranked 10 of 30) in July 2012. Poet/critic Lewis Turco, author of The Book of Forms, has credited Moseley as the innovator of a new poetic form: the mirror sonnet. Moseley's recent chapbooks include: The Fish Has Swallowed Earth (Aldrich Publishing, 2012), A Field Guide to The Muses (Finishing Line Press, 2009), and The Divine Tour (Finishing Line Press, 2012). The first Walt Whitman Birthplace Writer-in-Residence, 2009-2010, Moseley is also founder and editor of String Poet, the online literary journal of poetry and music, and host of The New York Times-featured String Poet Studio Series. Moseley is a Lecturer at St. Joseph’s College in New York.  A 2012 Pushcart Prize nominee, Moseley's poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in such journals as Able Muse, The National Review, The Seventh Quarry, and Umbrella, among others.  Winner of a 2008 Amy Award from Poets & Writers, her poem, “Breakable,” was chosen by O, The Oprah Magazine as one of the twelve poems selected from thousands to be featured on Oprah.com for Poetry Month, 2011.