Sex and History: Poems Inspired by Cavafy: A Poetry Workshop with Richie Hofmann (Zoom)

To find my way, I turn to the work of the ancestors. C. P. Cavafy, in particular, the Greek poet of early 20th-century Alexandria, with his sensuous and subtle poems of erotic longing and his obsession with historical figures and fateful episodes from the past, has taught me much about writing on beloved subjects: sex and history. In this one-day gathering, we’ll read and discuss some of Cavafy’s best poems (in several English-language translations), as well as some contemporary American poems inspired by his seductive, backward gaze. As usual, we’ll also spend some class time drafting some lines inspired by the poet. 

Richie Hofmann is the author, most recently, of A Hundred Lovers (Alfred A. Knopf, 2022), and he teaches at the University of Chicago.