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 June 2026
Join us Thursday, June 18, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Bonham Creative Arts Center for an evening of poetry.
June Poetry Meeting:
In-person and online.
Share poems that you wrote or favorites written by others.
Theme: Fireflies
Our June theme is “fireflies.” That’s an invitation, not a boundary. Yes, write about the literal magic of a summer evening lit by tiny lanterns. But fireflies also flicker into metaphor easily: a fleeting idea you almost caught, a memory that surfaces and vanishes, a brief connection with a stranger, hope in a dark season, the spark of first love, a child’s wonder, a faith that comes and goes.
And there’s a darker layer worth knowing. In some firefly species, the female mimics the mating flash of another species to lure unsuspecting males close — then eats them. The same light that signals “find me, love me” can also mean “come closer so I can devour you.” Nature, for all its gentleness, is also full of beautiful deception. So let your fireflies be tender or treacherous: write about signals that lie, masks worn for survival, the cost of trust, predators in pretty dresses, or anyone who has ever mistaken a trap for a welcome.
They are creatures of dusk and edges, of signaling and being seen, of light that asks for darkness to exist. Take the word wherever it leads you — close to the ground or out past the meadow!
Form: Cinquain
Last meeting we discussed the struggles of getting in a pattern of only writing in four-line stanzas. This month’s form is the cinquain. The American cinquain (Adelaide Crapsey’s invention) is a single five-line stanza with a fixed syllable count: 2-4-6-8-2. The syllable straitjacket is the point! Bonus: it’s tiny, so you can write several in one sitting and really feel the difference.
See you in person or online!
~ Michelle
When
Thursday June 18, 2026 ⋅ 6:30pm – 8pm (Central Time – Chicago)
Location
Creative Arts Center, 200 W 5th St, Bonham, TX 75418, USA
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.