Surrealism & Emotional Truth Virtual Workshop with The Poetry Society of New York
An all-levels generative virtual workshop with poet Emi Bergquist!
What if the strangest image you could imagine was the truest thing you’ve ever written? What happens when a poem stops making sense—and starts telling the truth?
In this generative poetry workshop, we’ll explore how the surreal, the strange, the dreamlike, the impossible, can reveal our deepest emotional truths. By letting go of logic and leaning into the unexpected, we’ll discover how imagination can open surprising pathways to honesty and connection.
Through playful exercises inspired by dream logic, impossible metaphors, and the art of contradiction, we’ll practice turning the ordinary inside out—writing poems where the heart speaks through the bizarre. We’ll read from poets like Dean Young, Ada Limón, Heather Christle, and Kaveh Akbar, who use surreal imagery to capture what can’t be said plainly.
Come ready to write, experiment, and surprise yourself. No poetry or writing experience required. All levels welcome!
About the Instructor: Emi Bergquist (she/her) is a Brooklyn based poet, performer, and content creator. Emi has been a poet with the Poetry Society of New York since 2015. Her has work published in literary journals including What Rough Beast, Oxford Public Philosophy, Oroboro, Passengers Journal, For Women Who Roar, Noctua Review, In Parentheses, and others. When not reading or writing poetry, she prefers to spend most of her time at the park with her dog.
**This workshop will take place on Zoom.**
