“All absolutely unmixed attention is Prayer” —Simon Weil
A rigorous approach to soul work that resists binaries and engages paradox. Writing as a spiritual practice. An argument for unextraordinary breakage.
The Place For poems.
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Teaching
As an experienced teaching artist for students of all ages, Lauren’s classes center on nurturing a vibrant inner life through deep attention and daily practice.
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Lastest Collection
Animals I Have Killed, winner of Comstock Review’s 2018 Chapbook Prize
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Tinderbox Poetry Journal
Lauren currently serves as the editor for Tinderbox Poetry Journal.
Poet. Editor. Educator.
And you open Primary Root
RadiCle Yielding To the Dark Tunnels Of Your Growth
—Anatomy of A Seed
Participation Is Expected and Essential. Of Her Students, Lauren Believes:
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”
—Martha Graham
In The Classroom
As a teaching artist Lauren’s deepest desire is for students to encounter wholeness and vitality by engaging with the creative process. She hopes to strengthen each individual’s connection to the integrity of their imagination as they actively shape their artistry, community, and future.
No Layoff
From ThiS
Condensery
— Lorine Niedecker
Lauren K. Carlson is a poet and spiritual director living in Manistee, Michigan. Her work has recently appeared in Crab Creek Review, Salamander Magazine, Terrain, The Windhover and Waxwing. In 2022 she won the Levis Stipend from Friends of Writers for her manuscript in progress. Her writing has been supported by Tin House, Napa Valley Writers’ Conference and Sewanee Writers’ Conference. She currently serves as editor for Tinderbox Poetry Journal and holds an MFA in poetry from the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers.