Written Women: Lilith

Written Women is a monthly writers salon at Cordelia, inviting you to respond to poems, stories and myths written by and about women. Each month, we'll read and discuss a different text to inspire our own free-write session, drawing from women's stories of power, madness, sensuality, tragedy, queerness, and insubordination. Time will be set aside at the end of each meetup for folks to share excerpts of what they've written. This October, we’ll learn about the history and mythology of Lilith, a jewish demon whose name is derived from that of ancient Mesopotamian night demons and wind spirits (lilītu and ardat lilī). We'll read works by jewish scholars who unpack the growing and contrasting intepretations of her cultural significance, alongside contemporary and early modern poetry inspired by the popular legend that Lilith was Adam's first wife, who fled the Garden of Eden because she refused to be subservient to him. We'll explore how her story transformed as this narrative was adopted by second-wave feminists who championed gender equality, and write our own pieces which embrace our personal, unique interpretations of her iconography. While questioning who gets to decide exactly what Lilith symbolizes, we'll also explore what it means to be a demon, a problem, and a force to be reckoned with. Written Women is led by poet, movement artist and facilitator Katya Borkov. You can learn more about her work at www.everythingspills.studio, or on instagram @everything.spills This event is funded in part by Poets & Writers with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Photograph courtesy of Rebecca Foltin