Poetry at the Art Center: Readers, Writers, and Listeners Wanted!
Join us at the Bonham Creative Arts Center for a monthly celebration of poetry in all its forms. Whether you write your own verses, love to share favorite poems, or simply enjoy listening to the power of words, you’ve found your community!
Each month, we’ll explore a different theme and poetic form, creating a relaxed space where poetry becomes accessible and alive. Share in any or all of our three rounds:
Round 1: Theme-based poems. You choose what the theme of the month means to you.
Round 2: Explorations of form. Share poems that fit the Literary Form of the Month. To find poems to share, simply ask your favorite web browser or AI assistant “Please help me find poems that feature [this month’s technique].”
Round 3: Open choice finale. If you want to share a winter poem in July, go for it! Love reading “The Raven” out loud? Do it! (Time limit is two minutes, so choose your favorite stanzas.)
No experience needed – just bring your love of language. We even have poems on hand if you’d like to join in but haven’t brought your own.
This adult (18+) group embraces poetry’s full range, from playful to profound. Come discover how poetic forms can serve feeling, and how ancient patterns can amplify modern voices. No critiques, no pressure – just the joy of experiencing poetry together.
Generally on Thursdays evenings from 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Questions? Contact: Michelle Haynes (949) 350-5335 | estellasheshop@gmail.com
2026 Schedule
Click the button(s) below to register!
Monthly Themes & Forms for January 2026
Join us Thursday, Jan 22, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Bonham Creative Arts Center for an evening celebrating the families we choose and the poetic conversations that connect us across time.
Whether you write your own verses, love to share favorite poems or simply enjoy listening to the power of words, you’ve found your community. Listeners are welcome! Sometimes it’s nice to just listen to local poetry — no requirement to read or share.
Can’t attend in person? Contact Michelle Haynes for the Google Meet link to attend virtually.
No experience needed — just bring your love of language.
How Our Evening Unfolds
Round 1: Theme – “Blank Pages”
We begin by sharing poems based upon our monthly theme, which is “Blank Pages” for January. You choose what that means to you. Perhaps you’ll explore:
– New year, new ideas, new possibilities!
– New journals, fresh snow, unmarked calendars
– The anxiety and possibility of emptiness
– What we choose to write first
Any poetic form works for this round – let the theme guide you wherever it leads.
Round 2: Featured Form – The Bop
For our second round, we explore featured form: The Bop.
The Bop is a relatively new form created in the 1990s by Afaa Michael Weaver. It bridges poetry with music/popular culture.
“The Bop is a 23-line simple poem form featuring refrains written to present a problem, expand on the problem, then offer a solution or failed solution to the problem.”
HOW A BOP WORKS:
Structure:
Three stanzas of varying lengths
A refrain (quoted line from a song, speech, or another poem) appears 3 times
The refrain acts as a “chorus” between stanzas
The Pattern:
First stanza (6 lines) – introduces the subject/situation
REFRAIN (the borrowed line, set off/indented)
Second stanza (8 lines) – develops/complicates the idea
REFRAIN (same line repeated)
Third stanza(6 lines) – delivers insight/conclusion/twist
REFRAIN (final repetition)
Round 3: Open Forum
Share any poem, any theme, any form! You have up to two minutes. If you’re working on a book (poetry or otherwise), feel free to share a brief excerpt instead. This is your time to bring whatever words are moving through you.
Details
Thursday, Jan 22, 2026
6:30-8 p.m.
Creative Arts Center
200 W 5th in Bonham
This adult (18+) group embraces poetry’s full range, from playful to profound. No critiques, no pressure — just the joy of experiencing poetry together. We even have poems on hand if you’d like to participate but haven’t brought your own.
Please Register
While it is free to attend, we do strongly prefer that you register so we can adequately prepare the space for the event. Also, in the event of a last minute cancellation, we will know to contact you directly to let you know. Click the button(s) on this page, which correspond to the date you are planning on attending.