The Ampersand Review November Writing Series

Join us for a two-hour poetry workshop titled "The Poetics of Boredom and Malaise" with author Cassidy McFadzean! The Ampersand Review's final Fall 2026 Writing Series will be taking place in room B222 in the B-Wing of Sheridan College's Hazel McCallion Campus on Thursday, November 26th. Sometimes / everything / seems / so / oh, I don’t know. -Joe Brainard This generative workshop will explore contemporary poetry that speaks into and out of the experience of boredom, ennui, and malaise, and the generative possibilities that this state of mind offers. From canonical poems by Joe Brainard and John Berryman (“Life, friends, is boring. We must not say so”) to Wendy Cope’s “Being Boring” and Charles Simic’s “To Boredom,” this class will explore boredom as a thematic thread in contemporary poetry. Discussion of poems by Danez Smith and Hala Alyan will allow us to reflect on the material conditions that might lead to a lack of motivation in the first place. Is it possible to write an interesting poem about being bored? How might we write when otherwise afflicted with a lack of motivation given geopolitical turmoil, the worsening climate crisis, and the rise of fascism? Through group discussion, in-class writing time, and opportunities for sharing in a supportive environment, we will explore how leaning into our boredom might paradoxically lead to compelling poetic observations. Reserve your spot on our Eventbrite for this two-hour workshop, and remember to bring your writing supplies! **Writers should please bring a notebook and pen Cassidy McFadzean is the author of three books of poetry, most recently Crying Dress (House of Anansi, 2024). She teaches and mentors through the Flying Books School of Writing, the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, and her own online generative poetry classes. Her debut novel Giant Mother is forthcoming from House of Anansi in 2027.