John+Roche+2+(JP+Bio+Pic).jpg
creeleyhat.jpg
classscene.jpg
playhouseshelly.jpg
John+Roche+2+(JP+Bio+Pic).jpg
creeleyhat.jpg
classscene.jpg
playhouseshelly.jpg

Writing with Creeley: led by John Roche Sat Feb 21, 2026

$85.00

Saturday, February 21, 2026

10 am - 4 pm

Open to all writers, regardless of experience.

Robert Creeley (1926-2005) was a ground-breaking, internationally acclaimed poet and novelist associated with the Black Mountain or Projectivist Poets and the New American Poetry. He lived in Albuquerque from 1956-1962, then moved to the village of Placitas with his wife Bobbie Louise Hawkins, where they lived until 1966, when Creeley accepted a position at the University of Buffalo, NY. They continued to spend summers in Placitas for several more years. Dr. John Roche studied with Creeley at the University of Buffalo, NY, during the 1980s. 

In this workshop, we will look at what made Creeley such a singular and influential poet, and what we, as writers, can learn from him. We will be reading poems by Creeley and his contemporaries (such as Charles Olson, Denise Levertov, Ed Dorn, and Gary Snyder). We will have a minimum of three poetry writing exercises following from Creeley’s poetics, often called “composition by field,” and his penchant for compression.

Special guest: Larry Goodell, who studied with Creeley at UNM and was the Creeleys’ neighbor in Placitas. Larry will visit the class to share his experience of how Creeley shaped his poetic life, and may share clips of recorded interviews.

This class is 60% reading and discussion, 40% writing responses to Creeley poems, and sharing our poems. All materials and handouts provided.

Saturday, February 21, 2026

10 am - 4 pm

Open to all writers, regardless of experience.

Robert Creeley (1926-2005) was a ground-breaking, internationally acclaimed poet and novelist associated with the Black Mountain or Projectivist Poets and the New American Poetry. He lived in Albuquerque from 1956-1962, then moved to the village of Placitas with his wife Bobbie Louise Hawkins, where they lived until 1966, when Creeley accepted a position at the University of Buffalo, NY. They continued to spend summers in Placitas for several more years. Dr. John Roche studied with Creeley at the University of Buffalo, NY, during the 1980s. 

In this workshop, we will look at what made Creeley such a singular and influential poet, and what we, as writers, can learn from him. We will be reading poems by Creeley and his contemporaries (such as Charles Olson, Denise Levertov, Ed Dorn, and Gary Snyder). We will have a minimum of three poetry writing exercises following from Creeley’s poetics, often called “composition by field,” and his penchant for compression.

Special guest: Larry Goodell, who studied with Creeley at UNM and was the Creeleys’ neighbor in Placitas. Larry will visit the class to share his experience of how Creeley shaped his poetic life, and may share clips of recorded interviews.

This class is 60% reading and discussion, 40% writing responses to Creeley poems, and sharing our poems. All materials and handouts provided.

John Roche lives in Placitas, New Mexico, helping Jules Nyquist run Jules’ Poetry Playhouse and edit Poetry Playhouse Publications. He earned his PhD in English at the University of Buffalo. He taught Literature and Creative Writing classes for decades at various colleges and was formerly President of Just Poets in Rochester, NY, a member of the board of BOA Editions, chief organizer of the Black Mountain North Symposium, and an instigator of the annual Cloudburst Council poets' retreat in the Finger Lakes. Along with editing the five-volume Poets Speak series and other anthologies (including Mo' Joe), his own poetry collections include On Conesus, Topicalities, Road Ghosts, The Joe Poems: The Continuing Saga of Joe the Poet, Joe Rides Again: Further Adventures of Joe the Poet, and his newest, Tubbables.

Class limit 10 students.

Working lunch break on site. Bring your own lunch if desired. Plentiful snacks and beverages provided (coffee, tea, water, bagels and fruit in morning, afternoon snacks). Ample time to explore the grounds of Jules’ Poetry Playhouse and walk the labyrinth.

Bring writing materials, free wi-fi if needed.

Hosted by Jules Nyquist and John Roche.

Author books will be for sale, along with Poetry Playhouse Publications books and art.

Directions and contact info sent with registration. Held at Jules Poetry Playhouse, 11 Homestead Lane, Placitas, NM. Email jules@poetryplayhouse.com.

Directions sent upon registration. No refunds; however, you may apply the fee to another class or merchandise if you need to cancel. If there is a waitlist and you need to cancel a 75% refund is at the discretion of Jules Poetry Playhouse.

Robert Creeley


The Mountains in the Desert

The mountains blue now
at the back of my head,
such geography of self and soul
brought to such limit of sight,

I cannot relieve it
nor leave it, my mind locked
in seeing it
as the light fades.

Tonight let me go
at last out of whatever
mind I thought to have,
and all the habits of it.
 

From issue no. 29 (Winter–Spring 1963) Paris Revieww