As most of you know, in 2023, after more than a decade at the helm of the Frost Place teaching programs, I stepped away from that position and made the decision to reimagine my teaching in new places and new ways. Monson Arts, where I had already been working with high school writers, had offered me a home for a different kind of conference, one that was certainly linked to the work I'd been doing at the Frost Place but that was not solely aimed at classroom teachers or strictly bound to the legacy of Robert Frost, one that gave me opportunities to create cross-disciplinary links and rethink how faculty and participants might interact and shine in the lush surroundings of an artists' residency center.

To my joy, amazement, and relief, last year's conference was a total success--both financially and program-wise. The staff at Monson Arts took magnificent care of us, and we had a full slate of participants, some of them Frost Place alums, some completely new to the venture. The enthusiasm and confidence of participants, faculty, and staff was humbling, in the best possible way for me. It reminded me that even my small efforts can cast a few ripples into a bigger pond . . . so I'd better do my work in this world as hard as I can.

Sometimes that means change. Immediately after last year's session, my associate director, Teresa Carson, and I began to talk about how we might revise the conference to create new openings and opportunities for exploration, collaboration, and community. One change is that we will now weave what was an optional add-on Writing Intensive fully into the week's program, with Teresa as the guiding spirit behind those linked activities. Another change is that we are bringing in guest faculty who specialize in arts beyond poetry, who use poems as a springboard and an inspiration for other kinds of creation.

This year our guest faculty will be Gwyneth Jones, currently a dance professor at Bowdoin College, with a long professional career in New York, London, and elsewhere; and Gretchen Berg, a poet who works in physical theater, often with very young children, and has been a member of numerous dance, theater, and mime companies.

Registration is now open for the 2025 Conference on Poetry and Learning at Monson Arts. Please note that there are numerous housing/meal options available to you. If you prefer not to stay on campus, maybe so you can bring along family or dogs, there are lots of nearby cabin options. And if you prefer to handle your own meals, the houses on campus do have full kitchens. Chantal Harris, the executive director at Monson Arts, can help you work all of that out, so contact her directly. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please let me know, and I will add your name to my list.

Also, this year we are strictly limiting our numbers to 15 participants, so you might want to apply early to hold that space.

And if you would like to support our scholarship fund, we would be so grateful. All donations will go directly to supporting participants who would otherwise not be able to afford to attend.