CALLICOON – Join Open Mic First Friday poet, Joyce Hayden for a special writing workshop on Saturday, September 7 from 12-2 p.m. at the Delaware Free Branch! 

Hermit crabs are not suited to one shell for life. They constantly seek their optimal environment, one that allows them to grow as they need to. Sometimes, in order to tell a difficult or vulnerable story, a unique “form” or structure must be found to contain the specific content. 

In this workshop, participants will together create a series of possible found forms for poems they may be interested in trying, such as field guide entries, a course syllabus, or a college application. A

 focus on consciously combining specific form and content will allow participants a deeper connection to the themes they choose to explore. Participants will be provided with sample hermit crab poems for guidance, time to write, and an opportunity to share their new poem and discuss their writing experience.  

Joyce Hayden is a writer, visual artist, and a former university writing professor. An advocate for underserved populations, Joyce has led generative writing groups for battered women, teens at risk and survivors of abuse. 

She continues to facilitate online creative writing classes and has taught a weekly online Ekphrastic writing class for four years. Her chapbook, Lost Handprint, was selected for publication by The Dandelion Press in 2017. Joyce has taught classes at San Diego Writers Ink, Massachusetts Poetry Festival, Seaport Shores, and other venues. Her work appears in Al Jazeera English, The Yellow Arrow Journal, Manifest Station, and many other publications. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts.