NEW Poetry Workshops and Festival in Merida, Mexico

January 10 - 17, 2009        Application & Submissions Deadline: November 30, 2008

Beginning in January, 2009, U.S. Poets in Mexico will host distinguished contemporary American and Mexican poets in the colonial city of Merida each year for one week. This event will focus on poetry workshops and readings, and will also include lectures, optional Spanish lessons and two optional day-trips.

Our faculty for 2009 includes:  C.D. Wright., Bob Holman, Forrest Gander, Mónica de la Torre, Jack Collom
and Pedro Serrano.  Prospective participants can expect an energetic, productive, intimate and supportive program with no more than 8 participants in each workshop. 

The contemporary Mexican poets whose readings will be featured are:  Coral Bracho from Mexico City,
Mónica de la Torre from NYC & Mexico City, Valerie Mejer from San Miguel de Allende, Pedro Serrano from Mexico City and Briceida Cuevas Cob, a Maya language poet from Campeche.

We will offer two group day trips each year: one to a sacred site and one to an ecological reserve or place of natural beauty.  In January, 2009 we will visit Uxmal and Celestun Reserve. 

Our yearly workshops will coincide with Merida's annual Festival of the City, and Spain will be the guest country during this celebration of Merida's 467th anniversary. Merida will be alive with performances of music, dance, theater, literary events, art exhibitions and films from Mexico and Spain. 

"Merida from the roof" Elizabeth Bishop, 1942 watercolor