Seeing Takes Time

A gift of poetry is that it encourages us to take our time.

"Nobody sees a flower— really—it is so small—we haven't time— and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time." ~ Georgia O'Keefe

We can take our time to not only see a small flower, but to see and feel the richness of the world and of the person whose shoulder is next to ours. Writing poetry allows us to reflect upon our lives and varied experiences. Sharing our poems with one another, we take time to listen to a friend. It is a great gift, this kind of listening.

This one-day retreat offers a safe, supportive environment to write poems—or what William Stafford preferred to call 'things'—that can open up feelings, distill meaning, shore up your ability to respond to difficulties with integrity, resilience and courage. And we'll take our time.

"The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself." ~ Henry Miller

No experience with poetry necessary.

John Fox, PPM is a Practitioner of Poetic Medicine, poet, author, educator, and Executive Director of The Institute for Poetic Medicine (IPM), a nonprofit he founded in 2005. IPM brings poetic medicine programs and training to communities throughout the US and internationally. John is the author of Finding What You Didn't Lose: Expressing Your Truth and Creativity through Poem-Making and Poetic Medicine: The Healing Art of Poem-Making . He is featured in the PBS documentary "Healing Words: Poetry and Medicine." John grew up in Shaker Heights and now lives in Mountain View, CA. He brings a lifetime of experience encouraging people from a wide range of life journeys to make contact with the creative spark within.