Poetry in Dangerous Times, From Witness to Resistance, Revisited: with Demetria Martinez. Mini-Retreat October 16-17, 2026
pre-registration required
October 16-17, 2026
In-person at Jules’ Poetry Playhouse, Placitas, NM - two days!
Friday, Oct 16 1 – 4 pm
followed by optional meal at the Bernalillo Range with Demetria and class
Saturday, Oct 17, 10 am – 4 pm (with on-site lunch break)
Students commute to Jules’ Poetry Playhouse in Placitas, NM for both day sessions..
The practice of poetry, both as readers and writers, is particularly crucial during times when resistance has seemed all but impossible. During this retreat, we will read the work of poets who have resisted not only by bearing witness with their words (and deeds), but also by celebrating what nourishes the spirit and by imagining what a healed world might look like. We will read poems by Joy Harjo, Langston Hughes, Daisy Zamora, Martin Espada, William Stafford, Mahmoud Darwish, Norma Cantu, Susan Sherman, and Anna Akhmatova, among others. These authors will provide points of departure for participants to write their own poetry.
We will also discuss Demetria’s poem, "Nativity: For Two Salvadoran Women." The United States government attempted to use “Nativity” against her when she was indicted for allegedly bringing refugees into the country as part of the Sanctuary Movement of the 1980s. She was facing a potential 25 years in prison but was ultimately acquitted on First Amendment grounds. This experience shows just how much governments recognize poetry as an act of resistance.
