Hearst Center wrapping up poetry workshop tonight

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“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all. And sweet in the gale is heard, and sore must be the storm that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm. I’ve heard it in the chillest land and on the strangest sea yet never in extremity, it asked a crumb of me.” 

Emily Dickinson wrote the poem named ” Hope is the Thing with Feathers.” Poetry is widely loved for expressing an idea or feeling. The Hearst Center is hosting an Ekphrastic poetry workshop for 16 and older. Ekphrastic poetry is a vivid explanation of a visual work of art. Various artists write poetry about their art. 

Rachel Morgan said, “During the Cedar Valley Youth Poet Laureate Spring 2026 Workshops, students wrote ekphrastic poems based on works in the gallery at the Hearst Center for the Arts. Their gallery changes seasonally, but at this time, they had several displays. One part of the gallery was transformed into James Hearst’s living room, while another portion featured works by Cedar Rapids-based artist Saw Naing Lin.”

The event is happening on Thursdays between April 2 through 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. The event is led by James Hearst. 

The event develops poetic skills, Morgan said. “Students learned about ekphrastic poetry, writing a piece of literature that is inspired by a work of art. A classic example is John Keats’ ‘Ode to a Grecian Urn.’”

Morgan doesn’t have a favorite type of poetry; she said, “I like all poetry. Some of my favorite contemporary writers are Ada Limón and Jane Hirshfield.”

Morgan said, “A few years ago, we realized that only three Youth Poet Laureate Programs are located in the Midwest, and none were here in Iowa. So we built the Cedar Valley Youth Poet Program, and youth from around the Cedar Valley have joined us at workshops, rallies, libraries and in digital spaces. We created this program to identify and celebrate exceptional young poets who use their voice to inspire civic and cultural change. We believe that young people are capable of creating important works of art, and deserve a venue to both develop and share these works with the world.”

Morgan’s favorite memory, she said, was “At the end of the workshop, students were invited to the stage to read the poem they wrote, and my favorite part is hearing their poems. Not only are the poems great, but you get to learn which piece of art they connected with and what it meant to them.”

Participants get to see rarely seen artwork from the Hearst Center’s permanent collection.  To develop their creative writing skills and vocabulary to describe art, stretching into new types of expression. “For me personally, I find it hard to be funny in poems. Plenty of poets can do this, James Tate, for example, but it’s hard for me. “

Morgan said, “One of my favorite ekphrastic poems is ‘The Archaic Torso of Apollo’ by Rilke. The turn at the end is incredible, and I think most people feel convicted about something when they read these lines.”

Morgan said she has also tried her hand at writing poems. “I grew up hearing stories, writing them down, as well as poems. I started taking my writing seriously when I was in college and studied with a wonderful teacher, Richard Jackson. “