Scott Wiggerman's Poetry Pages

W o r k s h o p s / C o u r s e s

Workshops/Readings (2025 and beyond):

May 2, 2026
"Poets' Picnic 2026"
Heads-up for the next date of the Poets' Picnic! Many more details to follow!

November 11, 2025
"Mind Is Shapely"
An adaptation of an exercise based on Hua Ngyuen's Mind Is Shapely from Wingbeats I. In person at Albuquerque's Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, 6:00 p.m.

September 9, 2025
"The Bop"
An adaptation of an exercise based on Afaa Michael Weaver's The Bop from Wingbeats I. In person at Albuquerque's Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, 6:00 p.m.

July 24, 2025
"Rainbow Reading/Panel Discussion"
Mary Oishi, Scott Wiggerman, Julie Cummings, Steven Concert, and Demetria Martinez welcome participants to the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) convention in Albuquerque at the Airport Sheraton, July 23-28, with a special reading and discussion on diversity and inclusion focused on the LGBTQ+ community, as well as others, 10:00 a.m.-noon.

July 8, 2025
"Entering the Conversation of Poetry"
An adaptation of an exercise based on Gretchen Fletcher's Entering the Conversation of Poetry from Wingbeats I. In person at Albuquerque's Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, 6:00 p.m.

June 26, 2025
Fixed & Free LGBTQ+ Reading
Scott Wiggerman and Julie Cummings are the featured readers for the 2025 Pride reading for the long-running Fixed & Free series, along with a host of others from around the country, on Zoom, 5:30-8:30 MST. Link: https://unm.zoom.us/j/97811727313

June 22, 2025
Cultivating Voices Pride Reading
Poetry Parade Part 2 continues where the June 15 reading leaves off--and this time I'll be able to join the list of guests at Sandy Yannone's always fabulous Pride party, on Zoom, 1:00 p.m. MST. Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/685251748906097/events

May 13, 2025
"Birds in the Classroom"
An adaptation of an exercise based on Abe Louise Young's Birds in the Classroom from Wingbeats I. In person at Albuquerque's Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, 6:00 p.m.

May 3, 2025
"The Poets' Picnic 2025"
Readings, workshops, food, music and so much more at the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120, including my "How to Haiku: What Teachers Never Taught You" talk.

April 17, 2025
"Poetry x Three"
An evening of poetry featuring three Albuquerque poets: Scott Wiggerman, Marissa Prada, and Rebecca Aronson! At Erna Fergusson Library, 3700 San Mateo NE, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

March 19, 2025
"The Sound of Cicadas"
An amazing poetry reading and round table discussion featuring Hakim Bellamy, Lauren Camp, Sara Danielle Rivera, and Scott Wiggerman, part of the Chicharra Poetry Festival. At the Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Rd. NW, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

March 11, 2025
"Place Picture Poems"
An adaptation of an exercise based on Lori Derosiers' Place Picture Poems from Wingbeats I. In person at Albuquerque's Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, 6:00 p.m.

January 14, 2025
"Line Dancing"
An adaptation of an exercise based on Jessmyn Johnston Smyth's Line Dancing from Wingbeats I. In person at Albuquerque's Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, 6:00 p.m.

Workshops (2024 and earlier):

May 14, 2024
"Exercise in Derangement"
An adaptation of Carmen Giménez Smith’s An Exercise in Derangement in Wingbeats II. In-person at Albuquerque’s Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, 6:00 p.m.

May 4, 2024
"The Poets' Picnic 2024"
Readings, workshops, music and so much more at the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120

April 14, 2024
"Approaches to the Prose Poem"
Using Unknotting the Line: The Poetry in Prose, this presentation looked at several ways to approach writing a prose poem, including flash fiction, flash nonfiction, haibun, tanka prose, and cheribun--as well as the specific poetic techniques that prose writers can add to their toolboxes. In-person at Cherry Hills Library, 6901 Barstow St NE, Albuquerque.

March 10, 2024
"Quick Revision Techniques"
Several approaches to quick revision based on Jill Alexander Essbaum’s Right Turn, Clyde: Ten Variations on a Broken Poem in Wingbeats II. In-person at Albuquerque’s Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, at 6 p.m.

January 9, 2024
"The Wordplay Chart Poem"
An adaptation of Wordplay poems based on Marty McConnell’s Definition by Opposition in Wingbeats II. In-person at Albuquerque’s Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, Albuquerque.

November 11, 2023
"Approaches to the Prose Poem"
Using Unknotting the Line: The Poetry in Prose, I looked at several ways to approach writing a prose poem, including flash fiction, flash nonfiction, haibun, tanka prose, and cheribun--followed by a writing exercise. In-person for the New Mexico State Poetry Society's Albuquerque Chapter meeting, North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, 7521 Carmel NE, Albuquerque

November 10 and 17, 2023
"How to Haiku"
A repeat of a popular course on writing contemporary haiku in person at Oasis Albuquerque, 3301 Menaul Blvd NE, Suite 18, Albuquerque, NM 87107

October 7, 2023
Books on the Bosque 1st -year Anniversary
Dos Gatos Press editors Scott Wiggerman & David Meischen led the writing of a group poem at Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, Albuquerque

July 11, 2023
"The Pojack"
Tim Seibles' exercise from Wingbeats II, presented at Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, Albuquerque, as part of the monthly Wingbeats series of poetry workshops
6:00-7:30 p.m.

June 25, 2023
Chatter reading
at 912 3rd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

June 8, 2023
"To Rhyme Is Not a Crime"
in person at Oasis Albuquerque, 3301 Menaul Blvd NE, Suite 18, Albuquerque, NM 87107
10:00-11:30 a.m.
This talk/workshop looked at the many, many ways to rhyme, most of which get away from the moon-June-soon variety of pure rhyme. We touched on the following types of rhyme that are perhaps less familiar: homonymic, mono, eye, slant, alliteration, rich consonance, terminal consonance, forced, wrenched, broken, and many others--all with examples from modern poetry.

May 9, 2023
"When Good Advice Turns Bad"
Diane Lockward’s exercise from Wingbeats II, presented in-person at Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, Albuquerque, as part of the monthly Wingbeats series of poetry workshops

March 14, 2023
"Sentimental Immunity"
Adrienne Su’s exercise from Wingbeats II, presented in-person at Books on the Bosque, 6221 Riverside Plaza Lane, Albuquerque, as part of the monthly Wingbeats series of poetry workshops

Oct 10, 17 & 24, 2022
"Writing the Traditional Sonnet"
in person at Oasis Albuquerque, 3301 Menaul Blvd NE, Suite 18, Albuquerque, NM 87107

May 7, 2022

July 18 and 25, 2022
"The Ghazal: Writing Its Rhymes, Rhythms, and Refrains"
in person at Oasis Albuquerque, 3301 Menaul Blvd NE, Suite 18, Albuquerque, NM 87107

February 28 and March 7, 2022
"Haiku Revision"
in person at Oasis Albuquerque, 3301 Menaul Blvd NE, Suite 18, Albuquerque, NM 87107

September 20 and 27, 2021; repeated February 8 and 15, 2022
"How to Haiku: What Teachers Never Taught You" at Oasis

June 4, 11, and 18, 2021
"Reading and Writing Poetry for Healing"
through Zoom for Oasis Albuquerque, 3301 Menaul Blvd NE, Suite 18, Albuquerque, NM 87107
each session two hours, 10-12

April 10 and May 8, 2021
"Hello, Goodbye: Openings and Closings"
through Zoom for the NMSPS at 10:30 a.m.
Openings in April, Closings in May

March 13, 2021
"To Rhyme Is Not a Crime"
through Zoom for the NMSPS

October 10, 2020
"Thirteen Ways of Looking at an Ekphrastic Poem: Part II"
through Zoom for the NMSPS

September 12, 2020
"Thirteen Ways of Looking at an Ekphrastic Poem: Part I"
through Zoom for the NMSPS

March 10, 2020
"Writing Renga"
at Bookworks, 6:00 p.m.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
as part of the free Wingbeats Workshop series

January 15, 2020
"Soundscape Poems"
at Bookworks, 6:00 p.m.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
as part of the free Wingbeats Workshop series

November 16, 2019
Hiking with Poets
starting from the Open Space Visitor Center
during the Return of the Sandhill Crane Celebration

August 10, July 13, June 8, 2019
"Approaches to World Poetic Forms"
Albuquerque, NM
Summer series which focused on haiku, ghazals, and sonnets

July 9, 2019
"Syllabics: Discovery through Form"
at Bookworks, 6:00 p.m.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
as part of the free Wingbeats Workshop series

June 25, 2019
"Line by Line: Creating Poems Using Literary Devices"
for the National Federation of State Poetry Societies' Convention
at Hotel Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico

I'm looking to book further Wingbeats workshops; let me know if you're interested. Other workshops I'm available for include To Market, To Market: Publishing Poetry, several variations of Jump-Start Your Poetic Engines, Tips and Tricks to Writing a Sonnet, Poetic Collaborations, the week-long Poetry 101: The Basic Toolbox, and the week-long Poetic Forms for Today's Poets. All are reasonably priced workshops geared toward working and struggling poets. Email me for further information, costs, and travel expenses (address at bottom of screen).

Here are a few unsolicited comments from students over the years:

"Your class was everything I had hoped and more. I enjoyed myself immensely and learned much. Thank you. You are an excellent instructor." Ann Howells

"I gained so much from your presentation, the variety of examples, and the chance to start some poems. I can really say it's one of best workshops I've attended." Gloria Amescua

"I got a lot out of the workshop, some of which I'm sure I'll be processing for a while. Thank you for your highly organized and meticulously detailed presentation--I have new standards for my own future workshops now thanks to you." ire'ne lara silva

"What a week! I have attended many writing workshops in the last ten years (since I began trying to re-invent myself as a poet & writer), all the way from Ghost Ranch at Abiquiu, New Mexico to the University of Iowa Writers Workshop to Paul Burka's courses at Trinity in SA, and I can candidly say the one this past week was the best one, the most productive, the most inspiring, I have ever attended. That's the truth." Dorothy Alexander

"You opened a whole new world for me! Something can be said for ignorance is bliss. More can be said for becoming aware of an unexpected present and future of shared learning, participation, friendship, and FUN! I enjoyed all of our class exercises and exchanges." Claire Camargo-Vogel

"I have to thank you for being a pivotal influence in my life. I never dreamed I would get so much out of your workshop. I have not shared writings in a forum before or had as much enthusiastic response as this group experience afforded me. And you are the brilliance behind the catalog of tools I now have to help me unlock the voice within. I will feel forever indebted to you and the energy you put into bringing me out of the shadows, and into a new light." Melissa Greenwell

"What a fantastic workshop! Well organized, PLENTIFUL and provocative. When I do community workshops, I tend to fear that I am talking down to adult artists and so don't bring so much. You showed me more than just a big marvelous bunch of creative ideas! I cannot thank you enough." Katherine Durham Oldmixon

"I have had, in one form or another, eleven creative writing teachers/workshop leaders. And you have been the best teacher of them all. Your insights and the time you give to your students are simply phenomenal. Whatever you're getting paid, it isn't enough..." Mark Cohen