2026 Spring Workshop
April 24-25th, 2026 in Casper, Wyoming
Get ready to transform your writing at the WyoPoets 2026 Spring Workshop! This year, we're thrilled to feature two incredible presenters, Veronica Golos and David Pérez, a powerhouse couple from Taos, New Mexico. Join us for a day of inspiration, creativity, and a deeper dive into the art of poetry.
About The Presenters
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Veronica Golos is the author of four poetry books. Her book, GIRL, was awarded the Naji Naaman Honor Prize in 2019 (Beirut, Lebanon). Rootwork won the Southwest Book Design Award in Poetry, and Vocabulary of Silence won the 2011 New Mexico Book Award and has been translated into Arabic, Spanish, and Persian. A Bell Buried Deep won the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize, was nominated for a 2004 Pushcart Prize by Edward Hirsch, and was adapted for the stage.
Her chapbook, No Ordinary Women, was performed as HER: A Poetry Drama at the Pulse Theatre on New York's 42nd Street. The poem "Letting Go," featured on the Po’Jazz CD “From the Hollow,” was nominated for Best Spoken Word Song by the organization Just Plain Folks. In 2002, Golos co-founded The Domino Effect, a multiracial quartet of spoken word artists. Their collaboration resulted in the poetry/drama, Evolving Into Skin, which premiered at the H.E.R.E. Theatre in New York. From 1999 to 2003, she was the Artistic Director for Literary Programs at the Sol Goldman 14th Street Y in NYC, where she curated the award-winning series, WhYwords. Golos has taught poetry and multi-genre writing for Poets & Writers, Poets House, and the 92nd St Y/Makor. Her courses included Breakin’ the Rules! poetry for teens and pre-teens; Creative Writing & the Use of Years, a memoir workshop for seniors; and I Am More Than This, a workshop for Holocaust survivors. She was Poet in Residence at Sacred Heart Academy in Connecticut, the Nassau Museum of Art, and Yaxche School in New Mexico. She has lectured on teaching poetry to children at Columbia University’s Teacher’s College and Colorado State College. Golos’ work has been widely published and anthologized nationally and internationally. A lifelong activist for social justice, humanitarian, and peace causes, Golos uses her poetry not only interpret and question, but “to challenge and act." She is the former editor of the Feminist Journal of Religion and former co-editor of the Taos Journal of Poetry. Presently, she teaches poetry for Tupelo Press Writers Conferences, Hugo House of Seattle, Gemini Ink, and SOMOS. Golos is also a poetry book reviewer for Tupelo Quarterly and works as an editor for poetry manuscripts. |
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David Pérez is a writer, editor, actor, radio show host, podcaster, public speaking coach, and performing arts teacher. He’s the author of two memoirs: WOW! (11B Press, 2011), a Gold Medal winner for “Multicultural Non-Fiction” in the Global EBooks Awards, and Honorable Mention in Comedy for the Latino Book to Movies Awards; and WOW! 2 (Nighthawk Press, 2016). David has hundreds of published articles and essays in print and online media. His “Read Your Work Aloud” workshops have been a regular feature at the Taos Writers Conference, the Diné Emerging Writers Conference, and the Tupelo Press Poetry Conference, among others. David also coaches individual writers on public readings and performance. David has edited over twenty local, regional, and national books. Several have garnered book awards and multiple print runs. Recently, he launched "The Legacy Project," which will chronicle the many untold life stories and oral histories waiting to be shared, particularly in Northern New Mexico. In 2025, David was voted Radio DJ Personality of the Year by the New Mexico Broadcasting Association for his "El Wow Show," featuring Salsa music and guest interviews. The show airs every Friday from 9-11 A.M. (MST) on KNCE Taos 93.5 FM and streams live on truetaosradio.com. David’s acting roles range from Othello to Santa Claus. He’s written three one-act plays that have been produced and performed in Taos theatres, and has also taught Drama at Taos High School, and led Theatre Games workshops in various venues. |
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Workshop Description
Extravagance with Veronica Golos
The idea is to use "extravagance" to break through our usual way of writing. All of us have what we feel is our "way" of making a poem. We also have our "themes." By using extravagant poems as models, and to copy, or imitate or simply to answer, as an exercise, it will break our routines. And our themes. I hope to widen our perspective—I will send participants a packet of poems before the date of the workshop, offering Walt Whitman, Patricia Smith, Ross Gay, and Pablo Neruda, as well as suggestions for the participants' own poems. The suggestions are meant as prompts, or a point of view, or an adventure. Yes, this is a kind of homework. What will be different, is that poets will come to the workshop with their poems, copies for everyone, and we will discuss the poems in the packet, and the participants' poems as well.
My practice is reading deeply/writing deeply. To join the members of the workshop together, by all of us sharing the same poems, but also sharing different outcomes in our own poems. We will discuss...not criticize. What is the intent of the poem? Does the poet feel that the poem needs clarification, to sort of make a notice of what the poem is about? How can we offer suggestions that will bring us closer to the intent of the poem.
Beyond the Poet's Voice: A sensory exploration into what we write and how we read with David Pérez
The earliest poetry was oral. People chanted it, sang it, recited it—and they still do. Poetry isn’t just for the eye and the mind. It’s meant to be given voice.
Yet there’s plenty of space between the page and the stage. In this fun-filled workshop by Taos author and actor David Pérez, you’ll discover how improvisation, and body and vocal techniques can launch a poem to new heights, adding skills to the writing process itself, and bringing vitality to its performance.
What happens, for instance, if we read a poem like a fairy tale? Or shouting to the heavens? Or running in place? What might we uncover about intent, character, and place when we speak our words to life in fun and unexpected ways? Having led this workshop many times, it is both exploratory and revitalizing. We may see depths in the poem not noticed before. Or, in ourselves. We will laugh, and read, and see what happens!
We hope you'll join us for what promises to be an enriching and inspiring day!
The idea is to use "extravagance" to break through our usual way of writing. All of us have what we feel is our "way" of making a poem. We also have our "themes." By using extravagant poems as models, and to copy, or imitate or simply to answer, as an exercise, it will break our routines. And our themes. I hope to widen our perspective—I will send participants a packet of poems before the date of the workshop, offering Walt Whitman, Patricia Smith, Ross Gay, and Pablo Neruda, as well as suggestions for the participants' own poems. The suggestions are meant as prompts, or a point of view, or an adventure. Yes, this is a kind of homework. What will be different, is that poets will come to the workshop with their poems, copies for everyone, and we will discuss the poems in the packet, and the participants' poems as well.
My practice is reading deeply/writing deeply. To join the members of the workshop together, by all of us sharing the same poems, but also sharing different outcomes in our own poems. We will discuss...not criticize. What is the intent of the poem? Does the poet feel that the poem needs clarification, to sort of make a notice of what the poem is about? How can we offer suggestions that will bring us closer to the intent of the poem.
Beyond the Poet's Voice: A sensory exploration into what we write and how we read with David Pérez
The earliest poetry was oral. People chanted it, sang it, recited it—and they still do. Poetry isn’t just for the eye and the mind. It’s meant to be given voice.
Yet there’s plenty of space between the page and the stage. In this fun-filled workshop by Taos author and actor David Pérez, you’ll discover how improvisation, and body and vocal techniques can launch a poem to new heights, adding skills to the writing process itself, and bringing vitality to its performance.
What happens, for instance, if we read a poem like a fairy tale? Or shouting to the heavens? Or running in place? What might we uncover about intent, character, and place when we speak our words to life in fun and unexpected ways? Having led this workshop many times, it is both exploratory and revitalizing. We may see depths in the poem not noticed before. Or, in ourselves. We will laugh, and read, and see what happens!
We hope you'll join us for what promises to be an enriching and inspiring day!
Poem Critiques
Veronica will critique workshop participants’ poems, no more than one per registrant. Only 30 poems will be critiqued, so submit early.
Guidelines: 12-point, black font, no more than 36 lines, must fit on one page.
Deadline March 21, 2026. Email poem to Veronica Golos, [email protected], with subject line WyoPoets Poem Critique.
Guidelines: 12-point, black font, no more than 36 lines, must fit on one page.
Deadline March 21, 2026. Email poem to Veronica Golos, [email protected], with subject line WyoPoets Poem Critique.
WyoPoets Workshop Details
Friday, April 24, 2026: Reading and Open Mic
Natrona County Library 6-8 p.m.
Reading by Veronica Golos and David Pérez, followed by reading from the Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest winners and an open mic. This portion of the workshop is free and open to the public.
Saturday, April 25, 2026: Workshop
Holiday Inn Casper-East
WyoPoets Business Meeting 8 a.m.
Workshop Sessions 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. (There will be a break for lunch)
Workshop session details are described above.
Natrona County Library 6-8 p.m.
Reading by Veronica Golos and David Pérez, followed by reading from the Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest winners and an open mic. This portion of the workshop is free and open to the public.
Saturday, April 25, 2026: Workshop
Holiday Inn Casper-East
WyoPoets Business Meeting 8 a.m.
Workshop Sessions 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. (There will be a break for lunch)
Workshop session details are described above.
Hotel Accommodations
Book your room at the Holiday Inn Casper-East (721 Granite Peak Drive, Casper, WY) at our special discounted rate ($129 before tax, includes breakfast) https://tinyurl.com/2cjd696z
Scholarships
WyoPoets’ is committed to providing poets who need financial assistance an opportunity to attend, so look into the scholarships available at https://www.wyopoets.org/scholarships.html and pick the one that best fits your needs.
Registration
Early Bird Registration (Deadline April 9th)
Early Bird Member Registration: $70
Early Bird Member + Annual Dues: $90
Early Bird Non-Member Registration: $80
Student Registration: $35
Student Registration + Annual Dues: $45
Wyoming K-12, community college, and university students. Please include proof of student status with your check or email to [email protected].
Registration after April 9th
Member Registration: $75
Member Registration + Annual Dues: $95
Non-Member Registration: $85
Student Registration: $35
Student Registration + Annual Dues: $45
Wyoming K-12, community college, and university students. Please include proof of student status with your check or email to [email protected].
You can register at the door, but lunch may not be guaranteed.
To pay with PayPal, use the drop-down menu below AND fill out the “Contact information” field.
You can also register by mailing a check to:
WyoPoets
P.O. Box 1794
Cheyenne, WY 82003
Please specify in the memo line of your check what the payment is for (conference, dues, donations, etc.)
Early Bird Member Registration: $70
Early Bird Member + Annual Dues: $90
Early Bird Non-Member Registration: $80
Student Registration: $35
Student Registration + Annual Dues: $45
Wyoming K-12, community college, and university students. Please include proof of student status with your check or email to [email protected].
Registration after April 9th
Member Registration: $75
Member Registration + Annual Dues: $95
Non-Member Registration: $85
Student Registration: $35
Student Registration + Annual Dues: $45
Wyoming K-12, community college, and university students. Please include proof of student status with your check or email to [email protected].
You can register at the door, but lunch may not be guaranteed.
To pay with PayPal, use the drop-down menu below AND fill out the “Contact information” field.
You can also register by mailing a check to:
WyoPoets
P.O. Box 1794
Cheyenne, WY 82003
Please specify in the memo line of your check what the payment is for (conference, dues, donations, etc.)
Sponsors
The Spring Workshop is supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Wyoming Legislature.
NEW WAY TO PAY: WyoPoets now offers Zelle transfers as a way to pay for any of your membership dues, or fees. This transfer method is easy to use and saves our organization excessive fees. Simply download the app, or use your bank's website to transfer using Zelle to the email: [email protected] . Please specify in the MEMO line what the payment is for (conference, dues, donations, etc.)
