Event Recap: Poetry Workshop with Sage Cohen in the Lan Su Chinese Garden

Recently I attended a poetry workshop, led by local Portland poet Sage Cohen. It was held in the Lan Su Chinese Garden, located in downtown Portland. The garden once was the site of the Northwest Natural parking lot, and now will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this September.

The price of an admission ticket to the garden also covered the workshop, which met in the Celestial Hall of Permeating Fragrance. The garden served as a lovely backdrop for the poetry workshop. Sitting there, with views of the garden visible through windows open to the outdoors, Sage offered us an invitation to write poetry in community. The only requirement to writing poetry, she told us, was to pay attention. Interestingly, this is the same advice my yoga instructors give our class all the time. Pay attention. Be present. Tune into the moment.

Sage dispelled the myth that poets need to be suffering in order to write good poetry, by sharing with us a quote by singer/songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen (no relation): “Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.”

Through a series of prompts, we then wrote our own poetry. After each prompt, two or three poets volunteered to share with the group what they had written. It never fails to amaze me how a roomful of writers, using the same prompt as a springboard, manage to create such a wealth of diverse writings (in this case, poetry). And how poetic all the writings sounded, even though they were first drafts, penned in approximately seven minutes apiece.

It also always catches me by surprise at what I choose to write about—often things I rarely consciously think about—when I am in a writing workshop. This time was no exception. I wrote poems about the Sunday mornings of my childhood, a mountain stream, the potted plant in the front of the room, and my Tai Chi class. All in an hour-and-a-half workshop.

Afterwards, I took the time to wander leisurely around the garden, fully immersing myself in the beauty of the place. It was a typical Portland June day—somewhat cool, somewhat cloudy— but with everything growing lushly, and flowering shrubs and plants in full bloom. I viewed the garden from various angles and took the opportunity to pen some haiku. A booklet gave more information about the garden and the various vistas.

A free poetry writing workshop with Sage Cohen is available to listen to online at The Inkwell, on blogtalkradio. Additionally, you catch an interview with Sage by Nyla Alisia, also at The Inkwell.

Image credits Sage Cohen and Lan Su Garden.