Marge Piercy is one of America’s preeminent poets. She has published 20 volumes of poetry, including Circles On The Water, the first of her two volumes of selected poems now in its16th printing; The Moon Is Always Female, My Mother’s Body, What Are Big Girls Made Of?, The Crooked Inheritance, The Hunger Moon: New and Selected Poems 1980-2010, and Made in Detroit. Her twentieth On the Way Out, Turn Off the Light was published in 2020 by Knopf. She has also written 17 novels, including the classic Woman on the Edge of Time, Gone to Soldiers, He She and It, and Sex Wars; a memoir, Sleeping with Cats; five non-fiction books; as well as a play and a collection of short stories, The Cost of Lunch, Etc.  She has given readings, workshops and speeches at more than 550 venues here and abroad. Her work has been translated into over 25 languages. 

For almost 50 years Marge has lived in Wellfleet, a small fishing village on Outer Cape Cod, year-round home of many artists and writers, summer retreat for some of the most famous names in American literature. The irony of leaving one magnificent location to teach in another (Aspen, Boulder, Big Sur, etc.) has never been lost on Marge, and she created an intensive poetry workshop of her own design to be held here on the Cape. Since 2010 she has selected the best 12 poets out of many submissions and two alternates. Participants have traveled to Wellfleet from California, Oregon, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Sweden, England, Switzerland, Brazil, Australia, and Israel.

Limited to 12 serious poets, daily group sessions are held in a climate-controlled art gallery on Wellfleet harbor, while individual conferences take place at Marge’s hillside home among the gardens. The five-day week includes a poetry reading open to the public when the entire class reads with Marge to a sizable audience. Weather permitting, we host a bonfire on the beach. We want the experience to be a welcoming and friendly one as well as moving the poets to a higher level of skill. A private on-line social network is set up months before the class in order to begin building a sense of community among participants and to provide information on lodging and transportation. The private network continues after the workshop for poets to offer support and feedback on each other’s work.

This is a week to work with a master teacher and hone your craft with emphasis on imagery, oral aspects, line lengths and line breaks, work habits, and the uses of persona. Writing exercises are assigned to improve specific areas of technique. We also work on delivery throughout the workshop, since readings are the point of sale for most poetry books. 

Participants will be selected on the basis of 5 poems [limit 7 pages] submitted via email to hagolem75@gmail.com Please place Piercy Poetry Intensive in the subject line. Place your poems in the body of the email or as an MS WORD attachment in one file.

Total cost of the workshop tuition is $1100. If accepted, a non-refundable deposit of $550 is required against the full tuition but will be returned should the class be cancelled. Once accepted, on May 1, you will be asked to send 15 more poems to form the basis for your conference with Marge. At that time the remainder of the tuition is due. 

You are responsible for food and lodging. We suggest accommodations that suit your needs and budget but you must choose, reserve and pay for lodgings on your own. (As Wellfleet is a popular destination, this is best done as soon as possible after January.) Frequently, participants bring friends or family along so they may enjoy the many beaches, ponds, art galleries, shops, museums, cultural events, and hiking and biking trails of Outer Cape Cod (Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown).

The class is open to serious poets of all genders. If you’re interested in applying please send five poems–in one file, limit seven pages–to hagolem75@gmail.com Please place Piercy Poetry Intensive in the subject line. (If possible, please format to MS-Word.doc or send all poems in the body of the e-mail.) Upon acceptance to the workshop, you’ll receive additional information and be asked for your deposit.

Some comments from past workshops:

I could sum it up by saying, I give it 5 stars: 5 days of lectures and individualized attention from a master poet and teacher, in the company of 11 others devoted to learning poetry as a craft and way of seeing, on stunning Cape Cod. Matchless. 

 Expounded, I offer--

It was an honor and a privilege to join internationally noted poet and writing teacher Marge Piercy alongside 11 other students of poetry for the 2023 Juried Piercy Poetry Intensive in Wellfleet, MA. This was, and I am confident will remain, one of the richest learning experiences of my life, for many reasons, chief among them Marge’s masterful teaching and her unmatched devotion to both writers and the writing craft. 

It was evident from the start this was a workshop that had been carefully honed over time and many iterations. Ours was the 14th such event, and Marge had considered every detail and moment that comprised the week. 

Here’s what poets can expect:

—Daily, 3-hour-long workshop sessions led by Marge, which include:

—Work-shopping of original poetry by the 12 participants, each poet reading one of their compositions and receiving notes from the other cohort members—including Marge— and listening and responding to the pieces of the 11 other cohort members, daily:

—A lecture by Marge on an element of craft, illustrated with copious examples in mentor texts Marge has pre-selected;

—A writing assignment/prompt informed by the craft element featured in the lecture, offered as the send-off for the day;

—Afternoons and evenings left open for participants to engage in independent writing in response to the writing prompt;

—An individual writing conference with Marge, during which poets can expect to receive notes on their strengths, as well as where their growth edges may be;

—A public reading during which each participant reads an original piece and Marge reads from her own work, as well.

Marge’s thoughtful planning seeks to maximize not only participants’ individual and collective learning but addresses creature comforts, as well, creating opportunities for poets to make the most of their visit to Wellfleet with materials about things to do and see during personal time, as well as organized socials in the form of a campfire on the beach and culminating group dinner.

One of the highlights of the week is the final workshop session during which Marge offers useful scaffolding upon which participants can build an ongoing writing life, with the opportunity to do so together, as a cohort that continues to support each other’s growth and development. The Piercy Poetry Intensive Class of 2023 has already organized for virtual workshops that will meet in regular intervals and a face-to-face writing weekend planned for October.

In sum, I want to say, Thank you, Marge, for an experience I will draw from for the rest of my writing life.

 —Vicki Boyd, Portsmouth, NH, June 2023

Marge Piercy’s Intensive Poetry Workshop was remarkable and transformative. I had initially been intimidated about learning from this teacher whose writing had stirred me so deeply and so often over the years. But Marge’s warmth and candor made me feel like I belonged right away. Her lectures were brilliant and inspiring. Her incisive and perceptive notes on my poems injected me with new ways to see my work and the courage to go further with it. It was exciting to write poems in response to her challenging exercises, to hear the other poets’ work in the mornings, and to do the group public reading. I appreciated Marge Piercy’s and Ira Wood’s welcoming attentions to each of us and to those significant others who had come along to Wellfleet. The party at Newcomb Hollow Beach and the final dinner party at their home with the fantastic food and company were part of the magic of the week.  

 —Sharon Roseman, St. John’s, Canada, June, 2023

I've been to many writing workshops and retreats over decades (as both participant and leader). This was without question the best I have ever attended. I learned so much and my poetry improved greatly in mere days. Marge is blunt, incisive, and puts an incredible amount of time into bringing together resources and experiences to help you grow. She handpicks participants with a careful review of poems, and somehow managed in our group to find 12 people who weren't just wonderful poets but all generous and kind souls. "Experience of a lifetime" is a phrase thrown around way too much these days, but in this case it is true. Send your best poems to be considered, leave your ego at the door if you are accepted, and prepare for a transformative week.

 —Brenda Power, Dedham, Maine, June, 2023

I recently finished a week studying poetry under Marge Piercy with eleven other poets in the wonderful Cape Cod town of Wellfleet. Marge generously shared her knowledge, stories, invaluable feedback, her time and even her home. The workshop is well organized, her hand-outs and lectures are packed with information and excellent examples of poetry from both her and other poets. She always begins promptly at 9:15 a.m. (which I personally appreciate) and finishes just after noon giving us all time for more writing, resting, walking and exploring our environment. Marge read our work closely, providing each of us with in depth feedback on areas of strength as well as weaknesses.  Her evening activities are also well thought out. The bonfire is a wonderful way to relax and get to know the other poets, the public reading is a terrific opportunity for the poets to share their work, practice performing and receive feedback from the general public. The dinner at her home is  warm, welcoming and another event for everyone to bond even further. It is the chef’s kiss to a week of hard work! Marge’s workshop is for serious poets looking to deepen their writing, gain invaluable knowledge, receive thoughtful critiques and grow their writing community.

—Laurie Rosen, Swampscott, MA, June, 2023

The week was so moving it will take a long, long time to unravel all I learned after Marge’s quick, clear (and often sharp) feedback, much like the process of healing. I am so moved and so inspired in ways I have never been. I feel like she helped me to get on the other side of something and instead of riding along and hoping for the words to float by, or standing in the dirt digging for them. 

—Jan LaPerle, Elizabethtown, KY, June 2023

Like no other workshop! Marge Piercy picks her students with care. With great generosity, she then shares her incomparable wit, wisdom and work advice, as if we were her long-time creative partners and friends.  She will push you to be brave, to pay attention, to love language, to prune as if it were your garden, to value each millisecond of time. You will be far better for it all. Filled with joy by week’s end! 

—Mary K O’Melveny, Woodstock, NY, June, 2022   

Hands down, the best class I have ever taken anywhere -- high school, college, grad school, and beyond. Marge is a marvel -- an American icon who cares deeply about her students and their writing.

 —Steven Stark, Belmont, MA, June, 2022

We learn by sharing and critiquing our poems, but at Marge's workshop that's just the beginning.  She structures each class around specific aspects of craft, gives out thick handouts packed with poems to illustrate each one.  Assignments push us to write in new ways—we stretch, we grow.  Especially valuable are Marge's three typed pages of feedback on the fifteen poems we send her.  I’m grateful for her keen insight and generosity.  Now I’ll examine ideas for new poems through the lens of all that I've learned.  

I also appreciate Marge's practical advice on how to structure a book, find a publisher, organize a reading, find resources to advance our careers.  A working writer, not an academic, Marge is passionately invested in her students’ success.  She puts more time and thought into preparing her workshop, and she gives more of herself to each participant, than any instructor I have encountered.
—Johanna DeMay, Albuquerque, NM, June, 2022

Marge Piercy is a phenomenal teacher and the intensive workshop is transformational. Several things make this workshop different from all other workshops:

—  Marge's insights into my poems are direct and actionable

— She encourages us to "stand and deliver" -- which makes us feel comfortable reading aloud

— Marge knew many of the famous poets -- Adrienne Rich, May Sarton, Audre Lorde, and Denise Levertov, to name a few. Hearing stories about these poets is marvelous

— We laughed a great deal in the workshop

— I appreciate the way Marge extended possible subjects to write about -- including the point of view of absent women in literature and the bible.

— It's marvelous to be able to read with Marge at the end of the workshop with an audience

— Having dinner with Marge and the group is a gift

— Marge's and Ira's garden is stunning and a wonderful and relaxing place 

What a delight to build a community of poets and to be inspired in a beautiful place like Wellfleet.

—Deborah Leipziger, Brokkline, MA, June 2022

What a blessing to be with Marge and the 11 other fine poets at our 2021 writing intensive! I appreciated and learned so much from the craft lessons like titles, metaphor and persona, line breaks and lengths. That's why I attended. But there were so many special unexpected moments that will stay with me! How Mingus the cat appeared like an old soul friend during my one-to-one with Marge. He must have sensed my worry about my rescue cat sisters at home. Or how, during a class on sound, I sang some of my poetry lines. (I'm a shy one). It really was a safe, supportive atmosphere Marge created for us. How good it felt for Marge, always so admirably direct, to say after a couple of poems, "send them out."  And the setting: so lovely, the bonfire on the beach, the house party with its celebratory good-byes.  To know that I will be in touch with classmates and have new poet friends. Most of all, I felt encouraged to write more poems in a more organized manner and to apply the skills learned to write with more courage and honesty and depth.
— Fran Markover, Ithaca, NY

Marge Piercy is seemingly at the top of her game — she provides the most honest, insightful, wise and ultimately transformative comments on a poem that I have ever received or heard (and I have participated in many workshops with top poets). She has the power to listen to and return your voice back to you if you have somehow lost or doubted it along the way. Having hit a stubborn block in my writing, I applied with some trepidation to this workshop and I am so grateful that I managed to get in during what turned out to be only a brief hiatus in the pandemic and, happily, in my own writing. Thank you Marge and workshop mates for a week of poetic joy, generosity, and renewal in ever beautiful Wellfleet. 
—Theresa Rogers, Vancouver, Canada

“Meeting and working with Marge Piercy taught me to be more generous and more urgent about my writing, which may seem contradictory. Even though I have an MFA and have worked with many writers, there was, to use an image from Virginia Woolf, that angel in the house I could not fully expel who insisted I am wasting my time. Marge’s cut-to-the-chase feedback and openness to each poet’s unique voice and insistence that our writing is important — all of us — gave me the courage and the clarity to finally come home and expel that angel of the house. For the daily assignments, I was inspired by Marge’s work ethic and high expectations to write more complete poems in a few hours than I remember doing in a very long time. There did seem to be a bit of magic on the Cape or maybe just the synergy of the group. Nonetheless, I loved how demanding the course was while evenly balanced looking at the work of everyone in the group and lessons on craft. It was rounded out by ending the workshop with information on the practicalities of writing and a lovely party at Marge’s home.
—Lisa Eve Cheby, Los Angeles, CA

“Marge Piercy is a force of nature. It was an honor to spend five days in her brilliant company. She challenges and inspires poets to do their finest work. Her deep insight and candid commentary propelled me to take creative risks and relentlessly seek excellence. I have never had a better editor. Her emphasis upon supplying context, finding clarity, sustaining focus, and recognizing the inherent integrity of poems (regarding them as organic, living entities) has compelled me to try and write with greater intelligence and grace.
—Mindy Ohringer, New York, NY

“Marge Piercy’s Poetry Intensive 2018 inspired and affirmed my work as a poet. I came away believing in myself in ways I never was able to before. She invested a great deal of time and energy into reading my poems and giving me honest, constructive, insightful, straightforward feedback on each one. I went into the Intensive with questions around line breaks, prose poems, and my own sense of self as a poet. I came away with clarity around those questions and so much more. The daily schedule, filled with Marge’s clear teaching, informational poetry packets, workshopping, and writing assignments, was organized so that we were immersed in poetry—living, reading, writing, and breathing poetry. A true privilege. I also appreciated the care that Marge Piercy and Ira Wood demonstrated through the week. Ira treated us all to a bonfire on the beach, a warm circle glowing with conversation, creating a very special memory for me of ocean and camaraderie. And, after a full week of poetry intensity, including an incredibly rewarding public poetry reading, Marge still had the energy to cook us all a delicious spread of homemade delights, inviting us into her home, sharing with us not just poetry, but a celebration of food and human kindness. My experience was invaluable. I continue to treasure that week as one of the as one of the most special and profoundly transformational weeks of my life.”
—Diana Tigerlily, Marion, Ill

“The workshop was truly one of the best I have ever attended. We had an amazing group of women and the way Marge ran the workshop and the topics she discussed seemed to be tailor-made to fit our needs.  I feel ready to take on poetry again with a new dedication, devotion, and insight. I am not only able to write with more abandon now (leaving the “inner censor” at the door until I need her), but I am likewise determined to give myself the space and structure needed to write.  I have already created a workspace here at home just for writing (i.e., no bills or other tasks) and am ready to axe those things that “clutter” my life and keep me from having the time to write and the space to focus. I think I knew somewhere deep down that the de-cluttering of daily life had to be done, but I just hadn’t acted on it. The workshop has given me the determination to act.  It was a life-altering experience and Marge Piercy is an amazing, inspiring woman.  Our week on the Cape was much more than just a workshop. I am in love with Wellfleet — from the beaches and the bonfire to the Duck Creek Inn ghost. And I feel very fortunate to have a glimpse into Marge Piercy’s life and community.”
—Andrea Witzke Slot, London, England

“I read a poem in our workshop and Marge said, ‘What a brilliant idea.’ Those words–that word–idea, idea, idea. My life has been cast with characters who called me stupid. Her comment has helped me (begin to) negate those voices, because once, an idea I had was called brilliant–by Marge Piercy!!!  The women I met this week have also had an impact on the way I view my life. We all came here for the same reason–we have needed Marge’s strength, her wisdom, and her poetry so we could find our own strength, our own wisdom, and our own poetry. We formed friendships and cried together–it was emotional and powerful. It was beautiful.”
—Rae Rose, Portland, Oregon

“Wow, a year ago, that group included me! A year later, 80 new poems, some publications coming up, a collection submitted to an award, and a 200,000 word memoir written. Does the workshop have a lasting impact? Yes!”
—Helen Patrice, Australia

“Thanks for an excellent class. I found our work on titles and verbs especially helpful. Thanks for  the thorough comments on my poems. Thanks also to my eleven classmates. Each of you brought good poetry and precise critique to our class. You were fun to work with. Thanks too  for the beach party, for the party at your home and for your other help including the private network page.”
—George Longenecker, Middlesex, Vermont

“Marge Piercy’s workshop was truly inspiring. She is a feisty, intelligent and incisive critic, with a vast wealth of experience to share. The other participants were a diverse and talented group of writers. Ira’s presence was warm and welcoming, and his beach bonfire a treat, and of course Wellfleet is a beautiful part of the world. If you can get in, go!”
—Rachel Rose, Vancouver, Canada

“What a great experience Marge’s Poetry Intensive Workshop is!  Marge inspired in workshop participants the courage to take risks in the assigned daily writing exercises. I was grateful for the wisdom she shared about subjects including the power of careful observation and exploring personally-significant subjects.  Her straight-shooting and focused critique made me see my poems with fresh eyes, and will stick with me as I add to my poetry manuscript. In the beautiful natural setting of Wellfleet, the social gatherings hosted by Marge and Ira showed a real generosity of spirit and gave us lots of opportunities to kick back when we weren’t writing or sightseeing.  And what a thrill it was to read with headliner Marge and the other workshop participants to a large and attentive audience.”
—Susan Elmslie, Montreal, Canada

“I loved the workshop, loved getting to know Marge, enjoyed all the other poets she chose, left with all we discussed floating in my head. I loved the reading at the library. I like reading but especially enjoyed hearing Marge’s voice at the end. The party was above and beyond. It was a perfect ending. I noticed how all the poets lingered, not wanting the experience to end.”
–Sharon Munson, Eugene, Oregon

“I’m not sure I know how to properly thank Marge Piercy for the  genuine care and attention to me, to us, to the work, to the mystery and the things we strive for. The wonder and confidence that five little days can foster is so much more than you might know. This experience has been as life and spirit and creatrix-affirming as any I have ever had. No more hiding. No more apologies. No more I-don’t-knows.
—Karen Elizabeth Sharpe, Sterling, Massachusetts

“This is the writing workshop that continues to resonate – it shifted something in my relationship to my writing. I participate in quite a few workshops and conferences but this one stays with me, because Marge, is a gifted teacher.”
—Shana Ritter, Bloomington, Indiana

“People hear me talk a lot about going to this workshop but even though it was years ago now I’m still feeling the impact. I’ve had so many good teachers, but Marge has been the best. She is interested in such a wide range of styles and was able to see my work for what it was and where it was trying to go even in those very early stages. I’ve never had a teacher that had such a ‘large bag’ of tricks for dealing with such a diversity of styles. I felt she was always on the side of our poems and enforced really good boundaries in the critique process. It is also no small thing that the other poets that she chose were of such a high caliber. I have continued corresponding with a number of the other participants and those folks have been good friends and good sounding boards.”
—Heather Beatty, St. Paul, Minnesota

“It was a terrific week. Marge Piercy was clear-eyed and laser focused and told me exactly how I need to attend to my poems. She plays hard ball, but I was ready for that. I learned so much.”
—S.E. Venart, Montreal, Canada

“Marge Piercy’s Poetry Intensive was the most fun and challenging writing week I’ve experienced. She is brilliantly sharp and accurate in her critiques. Generous with her knowledge and love of poetry. Humorous and entertaining. She is razor focused on helping the student see where they need to grow. For the poet who is ready to dig in, listen and learn, the potential for improving craft and sense of self as writer is immense. And meeting fellow poets along the way was equally rewarding. I wish I could do it again.”
—Mary Panke, Hartford, Connecticut

“I came away from this workshop with a plethora of new tools as a poet and a deeper understanding of craft. Marge is brilliant in her presentation and her feedback is spot on. I loved my experience so much I that would like to attend another workshop in the future.
—Kellyann Conway, Santa Fe, NM

“When Marge Piercy asked us to send in fifteen poems for our private conference, I knew this workshop would be thorough, but never imagined how productive I could be in just one week. Studying with Marge meant five days of focused lessons, no-nonsense critiques, and a generous dose of laughter. We worked hard and played hard (bon fire! class party! nonsense poems!) as Marge introduced solid, practical approaches to crafting our poems. She took us seriously as writers—and that, I think, was the greatest gift of all.
—Jackie Craven, Schenectady, NY

‘Marge Piercy’s Intensive Writing Workshop challenges even the most experienced writer to push themselves. Every poet in our group brought a different perspective and all brought talent. The lectures were thoughtful, engaging and I found new ways of looking at how to approach titles and line breaks. Cape Cod makes a lovely setting for a week of connecting with other writers and pushing yourself to hone your writing. The Workshop was worth every minute and every penny. Challenging, informative and very engaging – the workshop immediately impacted my writing and I left excited to prove my literary chops!”
-Jonie McIntire, Toledo, OH

“To say that I learned a little bit about line breaks and expressing to your audience which words are the important words may sound insignificant, but this knowledge was a sea change for me, and so wonderful that it took place along an actual sea! When I got home, I went over all of the poems I brought to Wellfleet with me, revised, submitted, and now I wait to learn how others in the world will see those poems. I am also in the process of revising the poems I did not bring along with what I’ve learned in mind.

Also, I appreciated the quick, focused workshops we had and the opportunity to go to our week-long homes and write. Prior to attending the workshop, I was afraid that I couldn’t write poems anymore (long, boring story that has no bearing here), but while in attendance, I was happy to find that was untrue. I wrote an extended metaphor on demand. An extended fucking metaphor! (btw, that piece is being turned into a song by members of my university’s music department for our school’s 125th anniversary celebration. Also, a long, boring story, so I’ll spare you).  And since I’ve been home, I’ve composed more poems.

Lastly, I was impressed by Marge’s acumen in finding poets for the workshop. I loved the different styles of poems from the poets, the personalities, and the overall congeniality. My workshop mates were inspiring and encouraging. I’m so happy to have met them and hope to keep them in touch. Lastly, lastly, I am very grateful to have met with Marge one-on-one, to have shared a stage with her, and to attend a party in her beautiful home. I’m honored that one of her cats came to sit with me when I had my one-on-one. I’m sure he must have sensed my fear and came to calm me. In stressful situations, I look for books or animals, and as it would have been rude to read a book while Ms. Piercy was discussing my poems with me, I was so happy to have a cat to pet!  I learned so much during my week in Wellfleet from Marge and my fellow attendees of her Poetry Intensive. I will be forever thankful.”
-DeMisty Bellinger, Framingham, MA

To apply, send 5 poems—in one file; limit 7 pages—to hagolem75@gmail.com  Format as .doc or send all poems in the body of the e-mail. Upon acceptance to the workshop, you’ll receive additional information. Do not include resume or bio; only your poems are the basis for admission. But do put your name on each and number your pages. We receive many submissions every year and your poems can get lost.