ABOUT
Poetry in the Woods
MISSION & HISTORY.
PITW Workshop Cohort 2023 (@ St. Louis Zoo, 2023)
Poetry in the Woods provides poetry workshops and author events to the St. Louis Region that bridge the space between wildness, place, and poetry.
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Poetry in the Woods programming strives to inspire empathy and stewardship for the planet and creates meaningful, long-lasting connections to nature through poetry.
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Poetry in the Woods holds annual workshops each fall in St. Louis, reading events in the spring, and has coordinated off-site poetry hikes at AWPs since 2023.
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..message from Travis Mossotti, PITW Founder and Program Coordinator
I grew up getting lost in Missouri's woods and was somehow lucky enough to stay that way. For years, I wanted to develop a poetry program that tapped into that feeling, and in 2022 we held our first Poetry in the Woods program. Since then, we have received support from the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, formed a partnership of numerous organizations across the St. Louis region, and expanded our programming considerably (including, open-air, no-mic reading/hike events held annually at AWP Conferences).
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Our goal at PITW is simple: bridge the space between wildness, place, and poetry, and to host events and workshops that delight and inspire a fresh sense of curiosity and connection to the natural world in everyone who participates. And also, we strive to carve in some opportunities to lace up the boots and get lost.
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PITW Poetry Hike Event at Swope Park (AWP in Kansas City, 2024)
PITW Poetry Hike Event at Runyon Canyon (AWP in Los Angeles, 2025)
PITW Poetry Hike Event at Rattlesnake Ledge (AWP in Seattle, 2023)