Poets, like painters, try to capture experience and place it on the page.  Imagine Van Gogh painting--trying to capture the explosions in the stars for his Starry Night. Now imagine the poet's attempt at capturing the essence of a lived moment. It can be daunting and can pursue the poet during every moment away from the page.  There is no failing this moment.  For, the pursuit of reliving the moment is only as good as the moment you face the page . . . or rather, only as good as the moments you're willing to face the page.  And so we come to the essence of this workshop.  The poetic obsession's purpose is to take you back to a life lived and translate the lived life into the imagined life.  Our job, out of all this, will be simple.  Our plan will be to find the secret door to our experience and open it.  Perhaps it's a door you've passed everyday and were afraid to open.  Perhaps it's an empty storefront you've seen as you've driven through your neighborhood.  Yet you've imagined yourself opening that door.  You've seen yourself taking a step and walking in and that image of yourself in relation to that door has obsessed you.  We will not be looking for ways out, but for ways in. Through a series of prompts, exercises, and examples I will demonstrate ways writers can reinvigorate their own writing by looking closer at singular obsessions.