Holen Kahn, Filmmaker, at the open market in Auvillar

I'll be teaching a poetry workshop in Auvillar, France, June 12-18, for the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, my favorite artist colony.   The workshop is limited to 8-10 participants, and some writers have already enrolled.  The little town of Auvillar is one of the most beautiful villages in France.  It was built in the 12 century, and some of the batiments remain, though the town has modern amenities.  The open markets offer the freshest most delicious food anywhere.  The  Bordeaux wines you can't get in the U.S. can be found at the neighboring supermarket for under 10 Euros.   The people are friendly.  The Garonne river changes colors as it flows past.

It's impossible not to write in Auvillar.  So--if you are blocked, this is the place to jump start.  If you're writing out of habit, this is the place to break out of the old mold.   You'll come away with a sheaf of poems that will nourish your work for a long time.

I've been teaching poetry at the University of Tennessee for 28 years, and have taught all across the country and in Europe as well, giving poetry readings in France, Warsaw, and Krakow.  I'm the author of 14 books, including "Packing Light: New and Selected Poems," coming out in January from Black Widow Press in Boston.

For more info, go to the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts website and click on France, then on 2009 workshops. The link is http://www.vcca.com/kallet.html.   You can email me directly: mkallet@utk.edu.