Poets@Play Creative Writing Workshop with Arlene Biala
Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Emeritus Arlene Biala will teach your soul!
Poets@Play is a monthly creative writing workshop hosted by former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate David Perez. Each session features a different guest facilitator—or sometimes David himself—leading hands-on exercises to inspire creativity and new ideas.
Our Facilitator: Arlene Biala!
POET, AUTHOR, PERFORMANCE ARTIST, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
Arlene Biala is a Filipina American writer from the San Francisco Bay Area who has been participating in poetry performances and workshops for over 30 years. She is a 2023-2026 Lucas Artist Residency Fellow in Literary Arts at the Montalvo Arts Center and was Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County for 2016 and 2017. She is the author of continental drift, one inch punch, and her beckoning hands, which won the 2015 American Book Award. Her latest book, a thousand voices whispering, is forthcoming from Sampaguita Press in November 2025.
Workshop Description
workshop title: do you remember? burning for the new moon
The new moon is a time to release what doesn’t serve us. It’s a time to write the raw break up poem, to cycle out the stagnant energy and see what imagination can do. Through some free writing exercises and poetry prompts we can share a space to write, listen, and talk story in the key that our souls are singing. And in case you can't tell by now, there will be earth, wind & fire music in the house :)
No RSVP required. Just show up at 1:00pm
Admission: Free (donations welcome)
📍Location: Markham House @ History Park
635 Phelan Ave, San Jose, CA.
Free parking right outside of the main gate or in the lot at the end of Phelan Avenue (except during some History Park events.)
Once you walk into the park from Phelan Avenue, go straight until the road dead ends, then make a left. Markham House is then the second house on your left. There will be a flag over the steps that reads OPEN.
Poets@Play Creative Writing Workshop with Brandon Luu
Our friend Brandon Luu will soothe us with his perfect voice and inspire us to create!
Poets@Play is a monthly creative writing workshop hosted by former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate David Perez. Each session features a different guest facilitator—or sometimes David himself—leading hands-on exercises to inspire creativity and new ideas.
Our Facilitator
Brandon Luu is a poet from San Jose, California. He received his Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from San Jose State University, and he is a member of the Board of Directors of Poetry Center San Jose. He also served as a 2022 Creative Ambassador for the City of San Jose.
Workshop Description:
"Breathing Life into Poems" is a performance workshop that explores an alternative way of appreciating poetry and writing. How do you want to read a poem vs. how does a poem want to be read? Learn about the different techniques that readers use to enhance the experience of reading out loud and try them for yourself!
No RSVP required. Just show up at 1:00pm
Admission: Free (donations welcome)
📍Location: Markham House @ History Park
635 Phelan Ave, San Jose, CA.
Free parking right outside of the main gate or in the lot at the end of Phelan Avenue (except during some History Park events.)
Once you walk into the park from Phelan Avenue, go straight until the road dead ends, then make a left. Markham House is then the second house on your left. There will be a flag over the steps that reads OPEN.