Friday July 5th

Burn Your Poem — Opening Ceremony with Thomas Ivory
A liberating experience in writing the truth — no matter how vulnerable one might feel — Burn Your Poem is an exercise to release shackled minds and get words on the page. Camp, workshops, and classes are times to practice the art of writing; not a time to finish completed poems. Editing later with a developed tool-box is encouraged. Right now is a time to get thoughts on page and keep the pen moving!! Release the critical mind and be a poetic conduit. These poems are going into the fire anyway, so scribble out some truth, and open-up for Summer Poetry Camp!!

Saturday July 6th

Poetry As Community with Sarah Rodriguez
In this workshop, we will explore the power of both spoken and written word to build community through shared experiences, passions, and vulnerabilities. We will access our histories and emotions through writing confessional poems. Then, we will intentionally build community by creating and holding the space for all participants to read aloud their newly-created works. We will discuss what is gained by this impulsive, voluntary sharing, how it can be mobilized to bring people together, and any potential limitations that poetry may have as a uniting force.

Outlaw Poetics Conference
An ‘Outlaw’ is a person who exists beyond the protection of the Law, a target to be hunted by anyone and possibly with a bounty as reward. However, outside the rule of law comes personal Sovereignty, and Responsibility. Here, in the struggle to constantly adapt, true innovation rears it’s head way out in Edge City. When that innovation returns to mainstream society, we find huge cultural changes on the order of gender, racial, and sexual equality and freedoms. But there are numerous pioneers who pay the price for these changes before they occur.
At the BAFS Outlaw Poetics Conference we invite Outlaws of all stripes to join us in discussing the next set of cultural changes that we should be pursuing. This will include spiritual, literary, political, and ‘guerrilla’ vectors. We’ll look at a few shining examples and chat with some of the OG Outlaws in our area. We will not be announcing ‘name’ participants or more specific topics in order to deter brown-nosers and bounty hunters. Instead, if you are an Outlaw, you know where you should be. If not, well, Happy Saturday!

Drunken Haiku Competition
This event exemplifies many of the paradoxes of Beyond Academia as a Free Skool. The primary goal of this exercise is a contemplative understanding of the effects of intoxication on writing. We do find that whiskey shots level the field and create an increasing observable effect, but the use of alchohol or other substances is not required, as altered states of consciousness may also be produced through mantra, drumming, dance, advanced meditations, kundalini ‘bumping’, etc. What method you use is your choice, but we will be taking the ubiquitous BAFS ‘process notes’ between each round to access the ‘damage’. While this is a very internal, contemplative process, the sharing of notes plus the all-in-fun competitive nature does turn this workshop into something of a social event as well. It is worth noting that historically more than half of the rounds are won (group vote) by non-poets.

Sunday July 7th

Intro to TAZ/Immediatism with Marcus If
When Siddhartha got up from under the bodhi tree, the first thing he said was “With our thoughts we create the world”. In the West, this can be expanded upon as: Given that we exist in a state of Ontological Anarchy, the only sane response is Immediatism, and thus we celebrate in Temporary Autonomous Zones. Huh?
In this introductory workshop we will examine these philosophies expounded by the anarcho-spiritualist poet Hakim Bey, which we use as foundational material in the social constructs of BAFS & LSR. What does Autonomous mean? How do we conduct ourselves among other autonomous, and non-autonomous, beings? In Immediatism we find cause for revelry, relishing the ‘Be Here Now’ in the choice of our shared experience. The question to poets then becomes how to translate these ideas and experiences onto the page.

How F*cketh Shall We Then? –Sensual Consensuality With Shayna Lynn
Let’s talk sexy consent! Come sit in peace for a mindfulness course steeped in mutual respect theory and individually honoring the oneness. Games, open discussion, writing about it. Bring items to scribble with. Also an *optional* object that stimulates your favorite sense. We will be exploring the realms of yes’s and no’s. Where we find our boundary posts.

Monday July 8th

Ladies’ Sewing Circle & Terrorist Society with LSR Crew
Started in 1974 at the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus, at BAFS this will be an actual sewing circle which will include the Men’s Auxiliary. Everybody’s got some stuff that needs fixing, right? There will be thread, needles, and expert guidance, and of course a number of politically loud Ladies. You will be sewing your own stuff. This will be one of the few forums during Camp where debate on current politics will be tolerated. We may add some other DIY (basic bike/car maintenance, etc) mini-courses inside these two Sewing events as the need arises. Plus coffee!

The Show Must Go On: A Revolution of Intimacies with Ellie Swensson and Michael Malpiedi
This is a place where no one is surprised, and everyone is implicated.
This is a place where the importance of community events and their role in rejecting capitalistic notions of productivity, efficiency, and value cannot be overstated.
This is a place where existence is resistance. Full stop.
This is a place war torn by systemic violence in cycles of self vs. other, self vs. other, self vs. other.

In this reality, what do you burn for?

We strongly believe the more we can curate collaborative spaces in which poets and audiences connect, communicate, and refill each other’s cups the better.

In this class we will skill share strategies on curating, hosting, and performing at community events in order to:
Challenge the hierarchy of suffering
Dismantle the authority of the stage/microphone
Effectively curate inclusive spaces
Circumvent traditional, systemic and patriarchal standards for performance and collaboration through intersectional exploration and empathetic mutation
Understand and properly identify logistical necessities when developing a performance or event
Learn how to manage conflict between performer and audience/host
Highlight and prioritize accessibility
Sliding scale donations
Incorporate pronouns into artist bios
Only work with spaces that are wheelchair accessible
Do sound checks (wired or not) with your audience in ensure everyone can hear

**DISCLAIMER: If you don’t give a shit about how to utilize the fire in your gut to catalyze change and liberation — I.E. If you agree with any or all of the following statements: “poetry isn’t political”, “i just write for me”, — then this class isn’t for you. No hard feelings, bruv. **

Tuesday July 9th

Reality Transgression with Eric Fischman and Jessie Thayer
If all eventualities occur in the multiverse, then every story we can tell is true somewhere. But what if the worlds that we create could directly transform the world in which we live? In this class, we will open portals to other dimensions, explore alternate timelines, and manipulate the laws of physics. We will test the limits of this reality in order to discover how we might remake it for the better. Open to all mages.

Wednesday July 10th

An Attempt at a Tri-Unfuckery of Bardic Paradigm Framing: A Revelation of the Dark Arts of Bull Shit in 3 Sections with Seth Walker
This Class will be taught as a “Defense from the Dark Arts” perspective. Politician, law enforcers, and even your own peers use subversive language to persuade you all the time. Some do it purposefully, some do it due to toxic culture being normalized.
In this time we will explore the Bardic Dark Art of Paradigm Framing, How to win any slam through using these dirty tricks, How these tricks are used to control and manipulate us in daily life, & How “Toxic Wokeness” arises from the manipulative tactics.
There will be writing prompts, so bring what you need to be prepared for class. It will also be a full session with scheduled breaks, so we WILL start ON TIME. Be there 15 minutes early if you want to make sure you’re prepared for the class.
At the end of this class you should be able to: Better identify attempts to subconsciously influence you Better analyze political spin Win any poetry “slam” using the Bardic Dark Arts Call out “Toxic Wokeness” around you

Fucks, Giveaway with Matt Clifford
This is a very Important workshop. We will be examining the poetics of importance. What makes a poem important? What makes a poet important? How important is importance? Whatwhyhow is important? Who? Who decides? Who (a)scribes? Components: An Important discussion of selected texts and a make-your-own-importance objective writing exercise.

Thursday July 11th

Prophecies from the Void with Dani Ferrara
What if you are God? What if evil isn’t what you think it is? What if you can hear yourself and it is your own dead voice? How many more times will you sacrifice yourself? What is abstract? What is tangible? What is real? What is raw? In this workshop, we will be writing beyond the boundaries of the known self (rather than the boundaries of the true) and, hopefully, creating a souvenir of our self from beyond.

Dharma Poetics with Reed Bye
Look or listen to what is happening right now. Try to touch into the direct moment of perception—this one—and now this one—and open to their quality of awareness. It might be a sensory event or sudden popped-up thought or a feeling. Stay with an active attention to your experience as it moves. This will be the focus of out workshop’s writing. As poet Robert Creeley has written: “It is such a simple yet subtle art— this saying things in time.” We will write in the uncertainty of what
will arise, but knowing that, while we are alive, our experience never ceases and the body in which we experience it is a rhythmic organism.

Nature in the Sacred Self with Dionne Barry
Fall back into your nature among the trees and sky as we find the self thru mediation and joining bodies with art. We will create words for the never-spoken physical sensations and later dissect these words and impulses in open group discussion. We will explore symbolism in physiology, highlighting instincts’ intention, body autonomy, and our right to self possess. We will honor our sacred self in reminding ourselves we are forces of nature.

Friday July 12th

Ladies’ Sewing Circle & Terrorist Society with LSR Crew
Started in 1974 at the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus, at BAFS this will be an actual sewing circle which will include the Men’s Auxiliary. Everybody’s got some stuff that needs fixing, right? There will be thread, needles, and expert guidance, and of course a number of politically loud Ladies. You will be sewing your own stuff. This will be one of the few forums during Camp where debate on current politics will be tolerated. We may add some other DIY (basic bike/car maintenance, etc) mini-courses inside these two Sewing events as the need arises. Plus coffee!

“The Poetry is Earth is Never Dead” with Caitlan Mitchell
Nature is the First, and Final Muse. The time for self-indulgent poetics is over. The single most pressing issue facing humanity is our struggling planet. All of our socio-cultural issues stem from this issue—and all those socio-cultural issues mean nothing if the biosphere, and civilization collapse. Humanity was meant to be Stewards of the Earth, and instead, we have abused and neglected Her. We have collectively failed in our duty.
It is our job as poets and artists to Atone (from the Greek, meaning “to be at one”) for this. Our goal in this class is to Spell Verse that is relevant. The supposition of this class is that the most relevant Verse, at this point in time, is the Poetry of the Earth. We will Breathe new life into classic Nature-based poems, and we will Scribe our own Healing Spells for the Earth.

Self Defense for Poets with Troy Conrey
Ever tried to tie your shoes after skydiving?  It’s damn near impossible because of the adrenaline rush, and the same thing happens in a fight if you’re trying to impersonate Bruce Lee.  We’re not going to waste time learning fine motor skill ninja moves, we’re going to learn the fundamentals of the defense and the attack while eroding your fine motor skills with booze.  No experience required and bring clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, but I know, we already had you ready to sign up at “booze”….

Saturday July 13th

Smoking Prana: Cool the Burnout/Refresh the Inner Space with Roseanna Frechette
Activism, poetics, and yogism naturally complement one another in the sun/moon needs for all things aggressively creative to find balance. This session honors the understanding of prana as a creative life force energy present in all living things, the vibration of which can be turned up or taken down, depending on personal awareness and stress responses (among other things). In this session we learn to meditate on breath as a conduit for taking in prana and also learn ways to channel that energy to the mind screen of consciousness, the physical temple of body, and the inner space of creativity. Session includes traditional breathing techniques as well as contemporary understanding of the intersection between classic practice and current awareness (including neuroscience techniques). Some gentle hatha yoga posturing is included as well as time to free write. Please dress comfortably, and bring a yoga mat if you have one. All are welcome.

Improvisation, Memorization and Recitation with Eliza Beth Whittington
From bards to beatniks, rappers to slam poets, writers have been applying their craft to tongue and ears. We will explore methods to waking up our inner performer and play with Memorization, improvisation with an emphasis on performance. This is not a class to sit quietly through. Bring your silly and leave your critic.

Sunday July 14th

Magic Realism with Brice Maiurro
Magic Realism is a huge genre of writing, brought into literary conversations by authors like Gabriel García Márquez, Toni Morrison, Franz Kafka and Haruki Murakami. We will be having our own conversations around what magical realism is, time to explore magical realism in our own writing and finally time to share with others. Class participants should come armed with a way to write and an open mind to blurring the lines between magic and reality, if those lines really exist at all.

Ecopoetic Activism Pt. III with Marcus If
“{The Poet’s} function is truth, whereas the scholar’s is fact. … Fact is not truth, but a poet who willfully denies fact cannot achieve truth.” – Robert Graves
This edition of the ecopoetics workshop we will deal with facts and truths. We will discuss Ed Sanders’ Investigative Poetics, and how the ‘Truth is a Myth’ that we co-create. We’ll look at a few examples from Sanders and Ginsberg, and discuss their ‘framing’ from a Neuro-Linguistic Programming vantage. Bring a series of facts (real or imaginary) on an environmental subject, and we’ll see what kind of ‘truths’ we can construct from them. This will be a practical workshop for understanding how Spin is made.

Monday July 15th

Poetic deviance and digital theft in the 21st century with Maddy Koifish
With the dawn of the modern age, the way in which we as people inspire, copy, and steal from one another has evolved. Digitized media provides an accessible platform for anyone to steal almost anything. Join me in the discussion and exploration of how this
can be used in your own art, as well as in the dissemination and protection of your own material.

Renegade Publishing with Spit Poet
How do we change the social narrative to reflect our own experiences in a world
saturated with garbage media? Learn covert tactics for self expression and distribution of ideas during a mediapocalypse, as well as self publishing / Zine making as a tool for community organizing and social change. Bring a project you wish to mock up or
work on, OR start something completely new off the top. We will write, we will collage, we will discuss, and look at zines from our community and the impact they’re having. You’ll walk away inspired and engaged in your own self publishing process.