Enter the winged energy of delight:
A virtual poetry workshop by Ekiwah Adler Beléndez
What if a poem could save a life?
Meet your muse
I'm Ekiwah Adler Beléndez—a Mexican-American poet who travels the world in a wheelchair. I'm an author of six books, an internationally recognized literary festival speaker, and George Garrett award winner for outstanding community service in literature. I'm the proud father of my 10-year-old son, Lucio who lives with me in Amatlán, Mexico.
Bilingual in Spanish and English, I've taught poetry workshops across the U.S., Latin America, Europe, and beyond – to prisons, hospitals, shelters, schools, and even a toxic waste dump – proving poetry belongs where people need it most. Now, I'd love to share it with your community with an online workshop!
About the online workshop
My poetry workshop provides a safe space for participants to reimagine the possibilities of their life.
I like to think of poetry as a magic spell that conjures the lives we want instead of dwelling on our flaws. My cerebral palsy, for instance, is a diagnosis I find limiting. But in my poems, I once turned my wheelchair into a metaphor — as my electric, steel-tempered mistress. And by doing so, I created new possibilities for my identity and story. I invite others to do the same, fostering a space where we can re-diagnose ourselves on our own terms and let our imaginations take flight.
Sometimes in literary workshops we can feel like we need to be perfect or we're afraid we'll be put on spot. But I create a stress-free zone for participants, whether for an hour or six sessions. I focus on exercises and techniques that build emotional safety.
How I got into this
My journey into bringing poetry to marginalized communities began when I was invited to give a poetry reading in a juvenile detention center in Mexico City. At first, I searched for poems that gave advice or wisdom to try to help their situation, but I soon realized that funny and hopeful poems created space for emotional vulnerability.
I thought: "Oh my god, people need poems where they can talk about anything! From grieving a loved one, to missing a pet, to laughing about a fart. Everyone, especially those on the edge, need more than advice."
As I read them a medieval poem called "Ode to Sh*t" by an anonymous writer, I watched their faces. Soon, they wanted to write and share their own poems!
What happens in the workshop
Customizable, but here's my popular 2-hour format:
We begin by meeting on Zoom
It's important that participants have a device with a basic built-in and working camera and built-in microphone, as well as a strong internet connection.
We highly encourage the group to keep their camera on and remain with their device to help make the workshop the best it can be!
Part 1: Celebrating great poetry (30 min)
We begin by exploring poems from Pablo Neruda, Rosario Castellanos, Mary Oliver, and Rumi — presented in a fun, accessible way to energize the room. It opens up audiences to awe and gratitude and fuels the conversation.
Part 2: Breaking down walls (30 min)
I share my personal poetry from my publication Amor Sobre Ruedas (Love on Wheels) and allow foropen Q&A. These poems explore:
The complexities and joys of being a lover and father in a wheelchair.
My experiences growing up with cerebral palsy.
How poetry has fueled joy and offered solace in my life.
The celebration of being fully human — including love, sex, and relationships.
Read my poem: "Love Song to My Motorized Wheelchair"
Love Song to My Motorized Wheelchair
I often forget you. You
are cranky and lumbering.
But then I turn you on
and I remember
I love you
especially on high speed
I love you recklessly
rolling with me
my joystick is yours
throbbing in full gear
as we bump
denting the floor.
You wait for me to
charge you up
and you come squealing
asking for more!
If I don't please you
your weight
might crush my bones.
You love to see me wriggling
and when I try to pull out of you
you hold me inside.
Oh my dark dawn!
Oh my loyal taskmaster!
Oh my electric,
steel tempered mistress!
⎯ "Amor sobre Ruedas" by Ekiwah Ekiwah Adler-Beléndez (Editorial 17, 2021)
Part 3: Writing and sharing poetry (1 hour)
Next, participants write their own poetry in a judgment-free space. I guide them into a mindset where they feel free to express any emotion in their poem without fear of repercussion.
Then, attendees are gently encouraged to share their poem aloud with the group. These poems become a way of thinking through problems and building community.
Community impact
Many people in vulnerable situations struggle to open up, no matter how much therapy or support they have.
They may:
Feel judged or judge themselves because of shame.
Hide behind a tough exterior.
Struggle to trust those trying to help them.
But poetry changes that. When participants share their own poems — either aloud or anonymously — they experience how their stories connect with others.
Video: Ekiwah reads his poetry
Ekiwah speaks about his vision for accessibility and shares his poetry at 8th World Conference on Conductive Education in Munich, Germany for people with disabilities, Munich Germany.
Ready to transform lives through poetry?
Let's make it happen! Contact me today:
Cover Photo: Elizabeth Escobar – ibY (2021).