From Poe and Plath to Meds and Co-Pays: Poetry and Mental Illness

Date/Time: 9:00am - 10:15am on Saturday March 11, 2023
Location: Terrace Suite I, Summit Building, Seattle Convention Center, Level 4

The troubled poet, their writing fueled by mental illness, is a stock figure in the public imagination. This romanticized view glosses over the difficulties of living with a mental health condition, whether it is one’s own or a family member’s. Poets who write about mental illness will discuss both craft and practical issues: Why write about this subject? How does it influence form? What are the ethics involved? What does it mean to write publicly about a topic that is taboo in your community?