Seems everything happened last weekend-SPRING SALON in Mesquite, Nevada on Friday evening, then a poetry workshop in Zion's Park on Friday which I'll report more on below. Followed by the REDROCK WRITER'S group poetry workshop on Saturday and contest awards on Saturday evening. This was my first year to enter their contest and I actually won an award in their humorous division for my poem Green Jello written years ago then refined and improved. I love workshops of any kind-family history, writing or whatever topic interests me at the time. Learning new things and expanding my abilities is enjoyable and challenging though somewhat exhausting.
So POETRY IN THE PARK, a one day workshop at Zion's Park sponsored by the Utah State Poetry Society and Zion Canyon Field Institute. We live about 1 hr and 15 minutes from Zion's red rock beauty yet we seldom get out there. Too hot and busy with tourists in summer, too cold in winter but less visitors so it was wonderful to drive out there on a perfect though chilly early spring morning. No leaves on trees and a sprinkling of snow added beauty.
There were about 20 workshop participants and a noted Utah Poet of the Year Ned Snell leading our group. We discussed poetry, it's influence and how to write it. Then took a lovely hour long walk in the park with a trained ranger explaining the geography and history of the area. Shooting photos all the time, we basked in such God given beauty. Next we enjoyed a picnic lunch outdoors before resuming our afternoon session. Writing poems from experiences we had and sharing those with each other ended our perfect day.
