Organic & Inorganic Forms – Poem & Lyric Essay

We’re used to the idea of a poem or essay being inspired by something in the world. But what if the world inspires through shape instead of content–the shape of a tree, the functionality of a knife, or the structure of a familiar document? We’ll look at examples of poems that work with organic and inorganic shapes as form and inspiration, we’ll try a couple of quick exercises to help participants see and work with organic and inorganic forms, and we’ll leave with a reading and prompt list for further exploration and study.

About Jessica Johnson

Jessica E. Johnson writes poetry and nonfiction. She’s the author of the book-length poem Metabolics and the chapbook In Absolutes We Seek Each Other, and is a contributor to the anthology Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry. Her poems, essays, and reviews have appeared in The Paris Review, Tin House, The New Republic, Poetry Northwest, River Teeth, DIAGRAM, Annulet Poetics, The Southeast Review, and Sixth Finch. She teaches at Portland Community College and co-hosts the Constellation Reading Series at Tin House.

Author photo: Becca Blevins