The Body as Language: A Writing Class

​Tessa Micaela writes poems, practices clinical herbal medicine and generative care, teaches embodiment and writing, and plays in the woods. Tessa is the author of there are boxes and there is wanting (Trembling Pillow Press, 2016), Crude Matter (ypolita press, 2016) and Where Bells Begin (Rescue Press, November 2019).

Wednesdays 5:30-7:30pm
March 25 - April 22

with Tessa Micaela

Where and how does language move through, from and towards the body? Five weeks of poems, writing practices, somatic engagement, and conversation.

This class is designed to move participants through embodied writing practices. We will begin with the premise that all experiences traverse one or more bodies, be those singular, collective, familial, socio-political, historical, fragmented, (dis)inhabited, etc.

We will use poems, letters, writing prompts, structured forms, movement activities, and conversations towards these questions: where does language live in the body? What are the limits and extensions of that language and that body? Where and with what sounds is the body defended or ignored?

Writers and inspiration for this class will come from Maggie Nelson, Claudia Rankine, Climbing Poetree, CA Conrad, Dawn Lundy Martin, and Jordan Scott, among others. We will produce several written pieces, and share them with each other. Please come ready to write, and to let go of writing as a precious act.

$100-150 sliding scale

Pre-registration required by March 15 - [email protected].
Any and all relationships to language welcome - writers, poets, non-writers, movers, artists, journalers, non-writers and anyone curious about the process of making words.