If only I Had a Dove: Telling Our Own Stories in the Aftermath of the HeleneFlood

This workshop is presented free to the public through the generosity of an anonymous donor. Workshop Summary: April is National Poetry Month, so we are working with the High Country Poet Laureate, Hilda Downer for a writing workshop.  Downer will read some of the poems from the anthology, Had I a Dove: Appalachian Poets on the Helene Flood, as examples of narrative poetry. Stressing the importance of telling our own stories, Downer will encourage participants to write poetry or prose using prompts and different poetic techniques.  No experience is required. Appropriate for young adults and adults. Coffee and pastries provided. Author Bio: Hilda Downer is the inaugural High Country Poet Laureate and author of four collections of poetry and forthcoming chapbook, Seeds of Gems and Metals. Her second book, Sky Under the Roof, was a Nautilus Golden Poetry Winner in Books for a Better World. She edited the anthology, Had I a Dove: Appalachian Poets on the Helene Flood released in September 2025 by Redhawk Publications with all proceeds going to the Community Foundation’s Helene Flood Relief Fund. She retired from teaching English at Appalachian State University and has recently retired as a psychiatric nurse. She holds an MFA from Vermont College and is a long-term member of the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative, the Appalachian Studies Association, North Carolina Writers Network, and the North Carolina Writers Conference. She grew up in Bandana of Mitchell County, NC, and lives in Sugar Grove, NC.