Good Animals Poetry Workshop

Good Animals is a poetry workshop led by Poetry for the Masses in collaboration with non-alcoholic bottle shop Burden of Proof. Good Animals explores the thin veil between our human and animal selves. Through poetry, we'll honor the pets and creatures who have shared our lives — those still beside us and those who have passed on — while turning inward to consider the animal that lives within each of us. Our beloved animals teach us so much about how to live: how to love without explanation, how to pay attention, how to play, how to grieve, how to protect one another, and how to simply be present. They become our companions, our witnesses, our family — and sometimes, when they leave us, the ghosts we continue to carry. So, what does it mean to be a good animal? What do we hunger for? What do we instinctively protect? Where do we feel most wild? What does our animal self know that our human self has forgotten? Through a series of playful, tender, and reflective writing prompts, we’ll explore companionship, memory, grief, instinct, devotion, transformation, and the strange ways our animals make us more human. Come write for the creature who changed your life — and the good animal still living inside you. Reserve your spot today, as spots are limited, and let us know you are coming! This workshop will be taking place at our creative hub, Burden of Proof – a non-alcoholic bottle shop in the heart of South Pasadena, and we encourage you to support their small business by purchasing a snack. It is an inclusive space and you will be welcomed! We’d like to thank Hatchet Granny for being our beverage sponsor for this workshop, providing their delicious Lavender and Citrus Sodas for us to enjoy! Poetry for the Masses workshops welcome writers of all experience levels and offer a supportive space to explore deep and emotional themes through art and community. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us via our Instagram page @pftm.workshop, and thank YOU for your contribution to the literary arts. Time: 6PM-8PM Date: October 30, 2026 About our facilitator: Alejandra Roggero is the inaugural Poet Laureate for the City of Whittier, appointed in April 2026. A graduate of Whittier College, and a Whittier College Scholar, she is the author of four collections of prose and poetry, including The Town and La Matriarca. She is one of the founders of Poetry for the Masses, a monthly workshop and collective in South Pasadena open to writers of all levels, and a member of the Los Angeles Poets Society. Her work seeks to soften readers — perhaps even to the point of dissolution. Her forthcoming book, soft serve, is set to be published in 2027. Follow us on Instagram: Poetry for the Masses: @pftm.workshop Alejandra Roggero: @whateverguera Jacob De La Vara: @jacobdelavara Burden of Proof: @burdenofproofna