What a Poem Wants: Poetry Critique Group at MWC
Schedule
Wed Oct 15 2025 at 05:30 pm to 07:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
401 19th Street, ground floor, Rock Island, IL, United States, Illinois 61201 | Rock Island, IL
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What a Poem Wants: New Poetry Critique Group at MWC, facilitated by Ryan Collins Who: Midwest Writing Center and Ryan Collins
What: What a Poems Wants: A Poetry Critique Group for Serious Poets
When: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on October 15, November 19, and December 17 (all Wednesdays)
Where: Midwest Writing Center, ground floor of Rock Island Library downtown – 401 19th St., Rock Island, IL 61201
Cost: Pay-what-you-can ($20 suggested donation); RSVP is required for each session at [email protected]; space is limited to 10 participants
The Midwest Writing Center is hosting a pay-what-you-can poetry critique group for “serious poets” starting on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. at their office in the Rock Island Public Library – Downtown branch. The group will be facilitated by poet and MWC Executive Director Ryan Collins.
The group is open to poets who are actively working toward publishing their work and/or developing a new book or chapbook project, who have “a broad conception and appreciation of what a poem can be.” Collins said he hopes the group will be “an opportunity for poets writing adventurous work to engage and help each other find their poems’ most successful shapes.”
The group will use a modified version of Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process to facilitate discussions based around conversation, query, and understanding, rather than a “gag order” style workshop where participants attempt to “fix” each other’s poems.
Each poet is welcome to bring one poem (no longer than 2 pages) to each meeting. Poets can email a copy of their poem in advance or bring a hard copy of the poem; MWC will make copies for the group.
The group will meet on the third Wednesday of each month (October 15, November 19, and December 17 to start) from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The group is pay-what-you-can to join, but RSVP is required the Sunday before each meeting, as seats are limited to 10 per session and are available on a first-come first-serve basis. To RSVP, please send an email to [email protected].
Facilitator Bio:
Ryan Collins is the author of A New American Field Guide & Song Book and several chapbooks. Recently he was a finalist in the DIAGRAM/New Michigan Press Chapbook Contest, the Omnidawn Poetry Chapbook Contest, and the Sixth Finch Chapbook Contest. His work has appeared in Apartment, The Biscuit Hill, Coma, Ninth Letter, Past Ten, Sink Review, swamp pink, and many other places. He hosts the SPECTRA Reading Series in Rock Island, IL, where he lives.
This program is made possible in part thanks to the support of the Illinois Arts Council.
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Where is it happening?
401 19th Street, ground floor, Rock Island, IL, United States, Illinois 61201Event Location & Nearby Stays:
