With my poems, I finally won even my mother. The longest wooing of my life.

Marge Piercy

Today's workshop is about romantic love. The poetry we use in this workshop runs the gamut, from song lyrics to Yeats to urban hip-hop. Although romantic love is a universal theme in the world of poetry, youth have had limited exposure to it. Some youth might not find the theme engaging; others might find it embarrassing. Gauge your group, and remember to keep the workshop fun and active.

Goals

This workshop will:

• Identify and investigate cultural and personal ideas about romantic love
• Call upon poets' voices, including our own, to explore different aspects of love
• Address the question, how does one keep one's identity while falling in love?
• Optional: Compare and contrast love poems
• Optional: Provide ideas for organizing a Poetry Pajama Party for children in the congregation

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Question and express their attitudes about romantic love
• Compare their notions of romantic love to those of society, as viewed through poetry and fairy tales
• Examine their feelings about one aspect of romantic love in particular: that of becoming "one" with another person
• Optional: Share their love of poetry with children by hosting a Poetry Pajama Party