Amy Vaughan
Awakened by a poem in September of 2014, Amy Vaughan spent the next year writing a poem every day. Beginning first as a spiritual discipline, she shared her poetry on social media and developed a community of “followers.” Soon her work appeared in art shows in Charlotte galleries alongside or integrated into painted pieces, in yoga classes, leadership retreats, and Bible studies. Using her poetry to draw attention to issues of social justice and faith, she frequently speaks, preaches, teaches classes on healing poetry, and shares her work at public readings. An ordained United Methodist minister, Rev. Vaughan is the Arts Program Coordinator for UMAR, an agency that supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While teaching high school English, she was awarded summer residencies twice by the National Endowment for the Humanities, first at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and second at the Breadloaf School of English in Vermont.
Creating Lighter Fluid Poetry
Poetry can set the world on fire.
“Give us voice and insight / So that we can re-imagine / The right order / Out of this chaos…”*
The power of words can change the world. Writing poetry can be a personal spiritual discipline, a door into creative problem solving, and a way to communicate narratives that change the way people think and respond. Hear, explore and create your own poetry narrative in a workshop setting. Explore the power of poetry as a catalyst for personal growth or as a vehicle to transport people to a new point of view. No matter your previous writing experience, creating poetry, even if it is just for yourself, can both clarify and widen your view. As a bonus, you may end up with something to share with the Wild Goose community and beyond! *(from a 2016 poem written by the presenter)