Expressions of Grief and Love – Writing Poetry to/for Lost Loved Ones.

Facilitators: Laurie Anne Fuhr/Kathleen Kellner

Many of us have experienced the loss of a loved one during the pandemic and although loss can be  incredibly difficult at any time,  the added elements of pandemic stress and the inability to properly mourn our beloved lost loved ones has complicated and, in some cases, compounded the grief and grieving process.

Join workshop facilitators Laurie and Kathleen as we explore expressing grief and love through composing poetry. Learn how to use elegy and epistolary poetic forms to create a personal and heartfelt piece of writing. We will use a contemporary approach that is flexible and accessible for the writer.

About the Presenters

Laurie Anne: Laurie Anne Fuhr, prolific multimodal poet of page, screen, and stage, is the author of night flying (Frontenac House 2018), shortlisted for the Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry. Her poems also appeared in the first anthology of the Espresso Poetry Collective (of which she is a founding member); Uncommon Grounds, released during the pandemic, is available at www.espressopoetrycollective.ca. Laurie is an active member of Poetry in Voice (bringing poetry to schools), a member of the Writers Guild of Alberta and the League of Canadian Poets, and a poetry instructor with www.alexandrawriters.org. Connect with Laurie on Facebook and Instagram: @multimodal_poet

Kathleen Kellner is an End-of-Life Consultant, Certified End-of-Life Doula and Certified Funeral Celebrant. Kathleen has been involved with end-of-life work for several years and has companioned individuals and families through many types of loss and grief. Kathleen is here to support attendees through the complicated process of knowing how to grieve a loss that one was not able to fully mourn and acknowledge. Connect with Kathleen on Facebook and Instagram:  @empowered_endings_collective