Autumn's a time of visual poetry: the leaves change their color, the trees change their form, and suddenly the poetics of change seem to be on the tips of everyone's tongues. In this workshop, we'll read, write, and talk about fall. We'll examine some techniques that poets use to vividly describe autumnal sensations and derive meaning, including Mary Oliver, John Keats, and Jane Hirshfield. We'll also experiment with writing about autumn in our own ways, with exercises designed to help us get deep into our sense memories and present-moment sensory awareness of seasonality.
Melissa Jean is a professor of environmental studies. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University, and a PhD in Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Science and Management from Utah State University. Her writing has appeared in The Colorado Review, SWING, and the anthology Reckoning: Tennessee Writers on 2020, as well as a variety of online journals, including most recently Roi Faineant, Backchannels, The Hopper, Dream Geographies, Waxing and Waning, and Causeway Lit. Melissa is also a mindfulness facilitator and forest bathing guide, certified through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.
“Melissa is a wonderful teacher. She uses a variety of interesting materials to make connections, and I felt the class was structured in a thoughtful manner.”
"Melissa combined her experience and expertise as an educator, writer, and mindfulness guide to create a safe, comfortable, and grounded space for connecting with ourselves, our consciousness, and our written expression. Her work as a nature and forest therapist came through as she encouraged us to use our senses to experience the present moment with awareness and bring a more embodied and non-judgmental approach to our creative writing."
“I’ve loved all of the Porch classes I’ve taken so far. Y’all do an excellent job designing and delivering content. I’m always surprised by how much I grow as a writer, as a human, after taking a class. Melissa was a wonderful facilitator. Wise, grounded, compassionate. I felt very comfortable speaking my mind and my heart. Having taken this class, I’ve developed a more mindful approach to writing and observing Nature. And, to my surprise and delight, I’ve discovered a deep desire to learn more about fungus. Melissa’s instruction was a real gift. Thank you!”
