By sharing tools and techniques required for drafting, revising, editing and presenting original work, participants will become confident writers and public speakers as they learn to: take risks with language, both oral and written; use poetry as the gateway to skillful reading, writing, listening and speaking; present their writing in a public forum. This class is intended to teach the importance of stage presentation while performing a spoken work poem. Presenter, Lu Highsmith, the founder of Roc Bottom Slam Poets, Rochester's first and only Adult Slam Poetry team, understands the equal emphasis and importance of writing content and performance to fully convey your voice.

Participants will be guided on how to write and edit a poem along with the use of poetic and literary devices. This workshop will teach building stage confidence, maintaining body postures, voice modulation, hand movements and more. The sessions will begin with a writing emphasis, then move to performance. The intention is to end with a culmination of participants being given the opportunity to perform their poems for others.

This is an online four-part series offered via Zoom. Access to a computer or other device and the internet is necessary to participate. A commitment to attend all sessions is requested. Space is limited and registration is required. Please only register once for the first session - this will automatically register you for the entire series. A Zoom invite and any other necessary details will be sent out to all registrants before the first class.

Instructor, Lu Highsmith, has published poems, essays and news articles over the past thirty years. Highsmith is a poet, writer, publisher, promoter and spoken artist. No matter which form she chooses to exhibit her talents, each has been reflective of her passsion for spirituality, sensuality and social consciousness. Highsmith was awarded the "Big Pencil" award from Writers & Books in 2018 for inspiring the creation and appreciation of literature among young people in the Rochester community.

Rochester Writes programs are hosted by the Arts & Literature Diviision and supported by the Suressa Forbes Fund for Local Writers and the Friends & Foundation of the Rochester Public Library. Contact Carol.Moldt@libraryweb.org for additional information.