During July 4th weekend the annual summary poetry retreat, which is hosted by Beyond Academia Free Skool (BAFS) and affiliated with GuloGulo, will occur at Quonset Hut Hemp Cooperative (39820 CR 19, Fort Collins, CO), with some associated events at Wolverine Farm Publick House (316 Willow St., Fort Collins, CO). In honor of the 250th birthday of the country, the theme of the event is “connecting communities.” The following week Poetry Camp moves to Boulder (Beyond Academia Free Skool, @beyondacademiafreeskool).
Here is a run down of related events occurring in Fort Collins.
Friday, July 3 (6 pm) – Burn Yer Poem opening ceremony at Quonset Hut Hemp Cooperative
During camp, we write to get “the feeling” of the poem down on the page, not to fixate on the details. Edit later. Generating content now. At the opening ceremony, write the thing you haven’t allowed yourself to write and burn it in the campfire. Then during camp, give yourself that same permission, but burn it in your notebook and release it later in print!
Saturday, July 4 (10 am) – American Dead Poetry reading at Old Town Square
GuloGulo members are encouraged to join poets of Fort Collins in Old Town Square as we recite some favorite dead American poets.
Saturday, July 4 (3 pm) – Plant-Walk Writing Workshop at Quonset Hut Hemp Cooperative
Saturday, July 4 (5 pm) – Drunken Haiku Competition at Quonset Hut Hemp Cooperative
A BAFS Poetry Camp tradition since the very first year (2014), the ‘Drunken Haiku Competition’ is an exercise in contemplative intoxication and how that relates to creative output in artists. While this concept can be used as a fun party game, this workshop instead focuses on developing a personal understanding of how altered states of consciousness affect your writing. We will each use a preferred form of ‘intoxication’ – be that alcohol or other psychotropic substances, induced trance, pranayama, ecstatic dance/prayer, kundalini shock treatment, or perhaps even tantric masturbation. Whatever techniques you use to ‘get in the mood’ to write we will ask you to practice in this workshop. The point (think alcohol) is to recognize when you hit peak creativity, and when you’ve ‘had too much’ and quality declines. Each round of the competition – Take a ‘Shot’, Write a Haiku, Read yr Example, Vote on Favorite – can include brief process notes. The round ‘winner’ will choose a theme for the following round. In the end you will have an observable record of where you peaked and where you went too far. Again, this is a contemplative/meditation workshop, not a ‘party’. Side conversations or other distractions detract from everyone’s ability to concentrate, and the zen tyrant will “Shush” you as necessary. Discussion will be encouraged at the end, firmly discouraged during.”
Sunday, July 5 (10 am) – Writing Workshop with Fort Collins’ poet laureate, Erica Reid, at Quonset Hut Hemp Cooperative
Death Before Breakfast: A Generative Workshop: Forget gentle mornings and quiet sunrises! Fort Collins Co-Poet Laureate Erica Reid will lead writers through three poetic exercises to start the day with a jolt: one with a corpse, one with a tomb, and one with a dawn arcana. The spirit of the workshop is uplifting and creative rather than focused on loss and grief, though all writers, experiences, and styles are welcome.
Sunday, July 5 (2 pm) – Short Forms writing at Wolverine Farm Publick House
Sunday, July 5 (4 pm) – Punketry at Wolverine Farm
Join the band Black Market Translation for a live poetry event with a punk rock musical background.
