The 2024 Sunstone Symposium approaches! Year after year, Sunstone remains the right place for a gathering of Mormons Mormoning across the spectrum of Mormonism. This year’s symposium takes place August 1 – 3 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. For the first time, I will be attending the Utah symposium in person, and I will be a presenter.
Scheduled for late afternoon on Friday the 2nd, I’m presenting a poetry workshop entitled “Wrest in Peace: McConkie Erasure Poetry.” Using a workshop format means my session will be more interactive and participatory than the traditional lecture-style sessions. Attendees get the chance to both sample and pen erasure poetry, hopefully experiencing it as a vital and enjoyable creative activity.
Beginning with last week’s new erasure poem, I am posting likely three or four pieces in July. They will serve as supplementary material for symposium participants. In the spirit of two birds with one stone, they also provide regular Wheat & Tares readers a chance to dig deeper. Now for links to each of the McConkie Erasure poems. Revisit one or try something new. Feel free to comment or ask questions about poems and the process. Thank you!
McConkie Erasure: October 1973
McConkie Erasure: October 1974
McConkie Erasure: Song of Songs (October 1975)
McConkie Erasure: October 1983
Poet’s Notes and Questions for Discussion
Rereading these poems, there are lines in each of them I really like. But as stand-alone pieces, I only care for a couple of the most recent. The earlier poems read too choppy and cryptic. I’ve also noticed that some key words pop up, unintentionally, in more than one poem. That’s neat to me, but also obvious when one considers words and phrases McConkie was stuck on… like “carnality.” *groan*
Regardless of the merits or weaknesses of any given poem, one thing was true every time. I love the process of composing an erasure poem. I love the contemplative steps of experiencing the original text, developing a relationship with it, then intentionally erasing it down until it becomes something new, something mine. If the resulting poem has any lasting literary merit… bonus!
I look forward to helping Sunstone Symposium participants try out this process. Also, I thank those W&T readers who gave their time and attention to the above poems and commented thoughtfully. Which of these poems have you read? Which stood out to you and why? What other Mormon poetry have you experienced? What were your reactions, and why?
Wheat & Tares 
!!! I want to come to the symposium! I’ll sign up for your workshop. That would be so cool to meet W&T people in person. Anyone else going to Jake’s workshop? It would be so fun to have W&T group at the symposium!
Yay, I have an attendee lined up! 😆
Janey, my memory is telling me I have seen pictures of Andrew S and maybe Mary Ann at previous Sunstone symposia. Rick B, of Gospel Tangents, has definitely attended in the past. I’m hoping to meet some folks I’ve only ever interacted with on-line. Looking forward to being there