Poetry and the Seasons of Grief

Class Description

In times of crisis, we often reach for poetry, which the former Poet Laureate Billy Collins calls “the history of the human heart.” The loss of a loved one is one of the most complicated of human experiences. In facing great pain, poetry offers us words and understanding that provide compassion and clarity. And for those of us who are older, death is a constant theme to be reckoned with.

The class will move through the first shock of loss, Winter, to the time of mourning in Spring, to integrating memories and a changed relationship in Summer, and finally to the wisdom and acceptance of Fall. While we never get over the death of a loved one, we can find ways to keep them alive in us and feel a sense of acceptance and wholeness.

Maureen R. Kelly is a former English teacher and a licensed clinical social worker who has served in clinical and leadership roles in mental health and addictions programs for over 40 years. She believes that the arts, especially poetry, are ways to integrate emotions and experiences that may otherwise be hard to name and come to terms with.

All virtual classes are recorded and made available to participants registered in the class. These recordings are password-protected and available for up to two weeks after the class ends.

What to Expect

Format: Virtual 

Class Capacity: 16

Class Style: Mostly discussion; participation-based 

Materials List

Required

• Instructor-Distributed Materials

Recommended

• Kevin Young, The Art of Losing. Bloomsbury USA, 2014. ISBN: 9781608194667

No required reading for the first day.

A Brief Syllabus

1. Winter
2. Spring
3. Summer
4. Fall

Cost and Registration

4 Sessions, $175 ($157.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($175), Community Supported ($160), and Sponsor ($190). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.

The views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.

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Questions?

Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at adulteducation@newberry.org.

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