Deena Metzger – Traveling Writer @ 27 Powers
Traveling Writers Workshop & Upcoming Events
The 27 Powers Traveling Writers Workshops are an invitation to gather in Alameda California with a small group of other writers to write, read and talk about writing with some of the luminaries of poetry, nonfiction and fiction.
Writers such as Stephen Dunn, Ellen Bass, Tony Hoagland, Philip Gerard, Dorianne Laux, Joe Millar, Deena Metzger and Marie Howe have all brought their creative mojo to Powers Court and wowed us. Day-long and weekend classes held in a quiet, wooded home in Alameda are a chance to generate new work and get one-on-one feedback on existing work from these amazing writers, as well as meet and work with a community of like-minded souls.
It turns out that not all the poets in America are jammed incestuously inside the walls of the universities and writing programs. Many of them are still valiantly free-range, making their poems and studying the impossible art in home-made, self-selected communities like the one Laurie Wagner runs at 27 Powers; a fantastic place to teach, study, read, and listen. What a great scene; talent everywhere like wildflowers, and intense, off-the-grid cultivation. ~ Tony Hoagland, Poet
What They Are Saying
I have been teaching in my own home for thirty five years and wouldn’t have it any other way. That is why 27 Powers is one of the only places where I happily teach. In the day, while the writers and participants that Laurie has gathered so carefully, are writing, I look out at the light playing in the trees. At night, we watch the fire in the courtyard or the living room with the same delight. Laurie is gracious and devoted, the room is comfortable, informal, intimate and warm, everyone is welcomed heartfully, each one is safe, each writer can go very deep and very far into the mysteries and the unknown so seemingly easy – body, mind, heart, soul, word.
~ Deena Metzger Writer, Healer, Teacher
Being with Laurie Wagner and her students feels like a day in paradise – the care we are given, the beauty of the space, the warmth of the group make a place for dynamic possibilities. I wish i could be there once a month.
~ Marie Howe Poet
I’ve taught writers around the country and have rarely encountered the level of talent, commitment, and mutual support I found at 27 Powers. The experience of teaching turned out to be an intensive and energizing learning experience for me and in fact has informed every workshop I have done since. The informal, intimate setting lent itself to a close, trusting interaction between all the participants. It’s worth mentioning that the quality of the work derived as much from honest engagement with the world as from talent– these writers were coming to terms with their lives in crucial ways through the art and craft of writing, and it was downright inspiring. So much so that I solicited one of the essays for publication in Chautauqua, the literary journal of Chautauqua Institution, as a signature addition to our War & Peace issue.
~ Phillip Gerard Author
Teaching at 27 Powers has been a terrific experience. Laurie’s warmth, good sense, and attention to detail create a space that’s perfect for teaching and learning. She gathers together a group that is enthusiastic, bright, and loves both the reading and writing of literature. This is community at its best!
~ Ellen Bass Poet, Teacher
Laurie Wagner provides a wonderful atmosphere for both the visiting writer and her loyal constituency of participants. I felt welcomed and listened to.
~ Stephen Dunn Poet, Teacher
I was not surprised to see how many gifted writers there were in that group. After all, look who their teacher is! But what touched me most deeply was the care with which Laurie created an environment that was intimate, safe and wide-open. All I had to do was step into this magical space, open my mind and heart and watch the words come out of my mouth. And the participants were wonderful. I was very pleasantly surprised to hear how open they were to exploring their lives, to go beyond the story they wanted to tell in order to find the story that needed to be told. The day was magical and I feel deeply grateful to Laurie for enabling me to have this experience.
~ Daniel Gottlieb Ph.D., Author, Therapist
“All I had to do was step into this magical space, open my mind and heart
and watch the words come out of my mouth.”
D. Gottleib
