POETRY AFTERNOONS WITH BACHELARD

It can be hard to know how to transition from the gentler pace of the weekend back to the rhythm of the work week. You are invited to our poetry Sunday afternoons at the WEA! Inspired by Gaston Bachelard and his writings on the four elements, these evenings invite us to write about our memories and experiences of air, water, earth, and fire - and to notice how our imagination transforms them into something new.

Bachelard is one of France’s most significant philosophers. After a first part of his career devoted to the philosophy of science, he turned to the phenomenology of poetry — asking how it feels to create and to read poetry. Among his many works are Air and Dreams, Water and Dreams, Earth and Reveries of Will, Earth and Reveries of Repose, and The Flame of a Candle.

Each Sunday, we will dedicate ourselves to one element, listening to extracts from Bachelard’s work (the English translations are excellent!) and reconnecting with that element through a creative writing experience. Each participant will have time to write and may share their text only if they wish to in the moment. I’m Lucie — I hold two master’s degrees in philosophy from La Sorbonne in Paris, and I love these shared moments around poetry and philosophy. If you’d like to know more about past sessions or what to expect, you can read my blog at www.philia.co.nz