The Almighty Ballad: How to Write in Verse's Most Versatile Form

The ballad is one of the most versatile and iconic forms for both poetry and song lyrics; from nursery rhymes to old school raps, from Emily Dickinson to Leonard Cohen, for centuries the ballad stanza has served as an all-purpose container for wit and wisdom. This one-time, two hour workshop will cover the fundamentals of meter and rhyme, explore diverse examples of ballads across a variety of genres, and then guide participants through the process of writing a ballad (either poetic or musical) of their own.

About the Instructor: Brian Laidlaw is an author-songwriter who recently completed a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Denver. He publishes books of poetry and creative nonfiction with Milkweed Editions. His newest album This Aster: Adaptations of Emile Nelligan, recorded with his folk band The Family Trade, was released on vinyl by Fonograf Editions last year. Brian lives in Moab, Utah, and…