Crafting Poetry from Community Photographs

Instructor: Randy Gonzales

Participants will write poetry inspired by community photographs. With the help of writing prompts and guided instruction, you will learn to use images to spark memory, imagination, and storytelling and write poetry that touches on the everyday lives and landscapes of Opelousas. No prior writing experience is needed. Just bring curiosity and a willingness to look closely and craft what you see into poetry.

Randy Gonzales is a poet, writer, and community historian. Randy’s debut poetry collection Settling St. Malo won the 2024 Summerlee Book Award for enriching our understanding of the history of the Gulf Coast region. His second collection There No More is forthcoming (UL Press, 2026). Randy is an associate professor of English at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he holds an Endowed Professorship in Southern Studies. You can find out more about Randy at www.randygonzales.com.