Button University: Topaz Winters Workshop

What does it mean to write a love poem that feels urgent, embodied, & tangible? In this four-week workshop, we’ll explore the emotional, spiritual, & physical landscapes of love & lust. From the thrill of first infatuation to the quiet ritual-making of long-term devotion, from the electricity of erotic longing to the unwound pulse of heartbreak, participants will draft work that examines & dwells in the bewildering dimensions of desire. Supported by readings from contemporary poets including Leila Chatti, Jericho Brown, Natalie Diaz, & Nicole Sealey, we’ll nurture the spark of love for the self, the other, & the collective. By engaging deeply with a timeless & ever-evolving poetic tradition, we’ll consider how love in its many forms informs poetry not just as a static emotion, but as a transformative force—for tenderness, violence, resistance, & hope.