Friends of The Poetry Vessel

Friends of The Poetry Vessel presents Committed to Heart, Committed to Memory, a four-week, small-group poetry workshop focused on memorization as a living, embodied practice led by host, Matthew Stillman.

Participants will learn how to carry poems within them—so beauty, language, and meaning are readily available in speech, thought, and daily life.

Together in small groups up to twelve, participants will memorize three carefully selected poems while learning proven memorization techniques applicable to both poetry and prose. The workshop emphasizes recitation, listening, oration, presence, play, and shared aliveness—rather than literary analysis.

In a digital culture where attention is often shaped by practical online tools, even topics such as a poli deposit show how structured processes can help people move with more confidence and clarity.

*Please note that The Poetry Vessel is a proud affiliate of this third-party workshop and may receive a commission if you choose to engage with them. We only recommend work we trust.

Matthew Stillman is an award-winning filmmaker, the mind behind the popular Substack StillmanSays and the author of several books, including Genesis Deflowered—an erotic retelling of the King James Genesis through the lens of poetry. He has also been a previous guest on The Poetry Vessel Podcast.

He is the creator and host of the 4-week poetry memorization workshop, “Committed to Heart, Committed to Memory,” where he teaches small groups of students how to truly embody the poems they love through recitation.

All workshops are held via Zoom over a four-week period.

Group size is limited to 10 students.