Poetry Palooza! A Workshop for Poetry Lovers

Spend four unforgettable days immersed in poetry, creativity, and community at this heart-filled in-person workshop and retreat. Set in the woods, the experience brings together poetry lovers and a celebrated faculty of Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Georgia Heard, Irene Latham, and Charles Waters, along with surprise guests, for a rare opportunity to write, reflect, and connect.

Overview

In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat

Throughout the retreat, faculty will guide you with presentations, generative writing activities, and thoughtful conversations designed to help you bring new poems to the page. You’ll also have time to wander, listen, write, and discuss both the world around you and your own work. In addition to group programming, there will be informal small-group opportunities and one-to-one private consultations with faculty. This retreat is designed for poets who want to deepen their craft and explore poetry, poetry anthologies, and collections.

No submission is required.

Lodging and meals are included.

Begins at 5:30pm Eastern on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

Ends after lunch on Sunday, November 8, 2026.

Why This Retreat?

If you’ve ever wanted a retreat that blends inspiration, craft, and joyful connection, this poetry palooza delivers. Across four days, you’ll join fellow poetry enthusiasts for presentations and guided writing sessions woven throughout the day. The faculty will also create space for open discussion, informal small-group sharing, and individual consultations so you can move your work forward in a supportive setting.

Together, we’ll:

• brainstorm ideas,
• generate new poems,
• share our writing, and
• discuss the life of a poet!

It's a Great Fit If…

• You’re looking for creative inspiration. Generative writing activities will spark ideas for children’s book poetry and stand-alone poems for children and teens.
• You want to learn more about writing poetry for children. The retreat will explore solo collections, stand-alone poems for anthologies, novels in verse, and more.
• You’d like to immerse yourself in the craft within a community of poets. You’ll be surrounded by words, ideas, and people who love poetry.
• You want dedicated time to work on new poems. Plenty of independent time is built into the schedule for drafting, revising, researching, and polishing your projects.

Detailed Agenda

All Times are Eastern Time.

Pre-Workshop

• You will receive access to a virtual classroom where you can introduce yourself to fellow creatives and explore Boyds Mills resources, including Community Standards.
• You will also receive details about what to bring for your 1:1 consultation. There are no pre-retreat submissions.
• Participants are encouraged to bring projects at various stages of development, since there will be time to draft, revise, research, and polish during independent work periods.

Day One: Thursday, November 5, 2026

• 3pm – 5pm Eastern: Arrival and check in
• 5:30pm Eastern: Appetizers & Dinner
• Following dinner: Expectations and goals for our time together

Day Two: Friday, November 6, 2026

• Morning: Breakfast, Presentation #1 with Charles and Irene, Retreat time: read, write, connect
• Afternoon: Lunch, Presentation #2 with Georgia and Rebecca, Generative poetry prompts for stand-alone poetry, Optional Small Group Workshopping
• Evening: Appetizers & Dinner, Informal gathering and sharing fireside (weather permitting)

Day Three: Saturday, November 7, 2026

• Morning: Breakfast, Presentation #3 with Georgia and Rebecca, 1:1 Consultations, Retreat time: read, write, connect
• Afternoon: Lunch, Retreat time: read, write, connect, Presentation #4 with Charles and Irene
• Evening: Appetizers & Dinner, Poetry Jamboree!

Day Four: Sunday, November 8, 2026

• Morning: Breakfast, Optional Small Group Workshopping, Generative poetry exercise, followed by Q & A with the faculty
• Afternoon: Lunch & farewells

What Level of Feedback Can I Expect for My Work?

• Expect informal feedback throughout the workshop through discussion and open sharing.
• You’ll also receive a 1:1 consultation with faculty during the retreat. Bring up to three poems, or a short sample from a novel in verse, to read and discuss, along with any questions or ideas you’d like to explore.
• Optional, informal small-group sharing opportunities will be available throughout the retreat.

What Level of Commitment Is Expected During the Retreat?

This in-person retreat offers a chance to step away from everyday life and fully enter the workshop experience. It is not designed to be jam-packed; instead, it is a working retreat that balances learning with generous time to retreat and focus on your own projects.

Boyds Mills is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment. Before the workshop, you will have access to Community Standards that ask for respectful engagement with fellow creatives, including faculty and staff.

How Does This Retreat Support Our Mission?

Our mission is to positively impact children by amplifying the voices of storytellers who inform, educate, and inspire children to become their best selves. Poetry brings emotion from page to heart for kids, and this retreat highlights many ways to bring poetry into children’s lives while offering time and space to create in a supportive setting.

Can I Connect with Other Participants Prior to the Retreat?

Yes. Before the event, you will receive access to the virtual classroom, where you can introduce yourself to fellow creatives and engage with Boyds Mills resources, including Community Standards.