Language, Literature, and Writing   

Ever wanted to learn more about the Bible, but don’t know how to begin? Whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or otherwise, the Bible is still a relevant text to the 21st century global citizen due to its history and influence. Even after teaching its contents to high school students for 40 years, Sharon Bilodeau still thinks so! Join this class to dive into the Books of Joshua, Judges and Ruth. These are the books that continue the biblical story of the liberation from slavery in Egypt and the wilderness years, into "the promised land." We will get to know the stories in all their unapologetic, ancient detail. We will also apply literary, historical critical and varied theological perspectives to glean an appreciation of the meaning, purpose and craft of the texts. It is not necessary to have attended the Fall (2025) session of this course. 

This poetry writing workshop will examine resistance poems written during significant periods of history from the American Revolution to the present day. Workshop participants will use published resistance poems as models and inspiration to write their own resistance poems, which can then be shared, discussed, and revised during the workshop. Among the poets we will read are Phillis Wheatley, John Greenleaf Whittier, James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Allen Ginsberg, and Amanda Gorman. The workshop time will be devoted to discussion of published poems and participants’ poems.  The writing of poems, as Mary Oliver tells us, will need to be done at the solitude of the writer’s desk.  

Robert Redford was so taken by Maclean’s novella; he made an extraordinary film. Norman Maclean wrote this story in his early 70s. Based on his experiences as a young man growing up in Montana, it is a tale of love- for a place, for people, for the art of fly fishing. It is a vivid story filled with poetry. From The University of Chicago Press: “From its first magnificent sentence, “In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing”, to the last, “I am haunted by waters”, A River Runs Through It is an American classic.” We will read and discuss a portion of the story each week. You can find the book at the library or bookstore. Please do not read ahead! 

Ever wanted to learn Arabic? This beginner-friendly multi-week course introduces the basics of the Arabic language through greetings, everyday expressions, and simple conversations. Participants will also explore cultural traditions, food, and customs from Arabic-speaking countries. Designed for absolute beginners, the course emphasizes interactive learning in a fun, relaxed environment. Each session combines language practice with cultural insights to build confidence and spark curiosity. By the end of the course, participants will be able to use simple Arabic expressions and gain a deeper appreciation of the culture that shapes the language. 

Booked for Life invites lifelong learners to explore the enduring power of literature and memory. We will examine how books shape identity across time, revisit historic and contemporary works, and engage in thoughtful discussion on themes of resilience, legacy, and imagination. In addition to reading, participants will practice writing short reflections and personal narratives as a way of preserving memory and passing on stories across generations. The course concludes with a visit to the RISE Selfie Museum, a unique storytelling space that highlights women’s history and invites participants to consider their own voices within a larger cultural narrative. 

If you can tell a story, write a letter, or send an email, you’re already an accomplished writer. This course is about developing your imagination, and creating characters and story lines. No problem with spelling and grammar; I’m your editor. You can write in any style: poetry, short story, personal memoir…just write every day! The most important part of this course is writing your autograph. You’ll need it at your first book signing! 

Literature is a conversation across time. A single poem is powerful, but what’s remarkable is how poems speak to one another—answering, challenging, and transforming ideas. Allen Ginsberg’s Howl would not exist without Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself, and B.H. Fairchild’s Brazil emerges from Ginsberg’s shadow. In this course, we explore these dialogues: how poets respond across decades or centuries, creating new meaning through intertextual exchange. Students will learn to trace influence, analyze creative responses, and understand how poetic conversations shape literary history—revealing that every poem is part of a larger, ongoing story. 

What was it like to be sick in Russia? As a health care system was created in the late 19th century, traditional folk medicines and European specialists were replaced by Russian doctors and hospitals.  How did these doctors view the hospitals they worked in?  How did patients experience them? The writer Anton Chekhov used his medical training to explore 19th century Russian hospitals, and the writer Aleksander Solzhenitsyn examined 20th century hospital experiences in his novel The Cancer Ward.  How does illness relate to our basic humanity?  How do healers and healing support our self-understanding in our most vulnerable moments? 

Often one runs out of ideas for new poems. This course is designed to help you find new source material to create new poems.  By focusing on a topic, such as the Boston Molasses Flood for example, or paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, you will do research and then write poems based on this research. By the end of the course, the goal is to have about 5-6 poems that could be the steppingstone to a chapterbook or longer length collection.  You will learn to develop and flex your creative muscle. 

Are you going to France or to a French-speaking country? If so, you need to be able to communicate at least at a minimum to show that you are making an effort toward the culture of the host country. The people there will greatly appreciate (even if they answer in English) and may even be friendlier. In this class you will learn French basic vocabulary and phrases in a conversational setting. The course will integrate the Mango Languages computer program to practice and reinforce your new skills at home. 

In this course, we will dive into the more unusual side of literature, namely speculative fiction, a type of fiction where the laws of nature do not apply. Starting with Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, to short stories by authors like George Saunders and Karen Russell, we’ll discuss why these stories are considered speculative. We’ll also explore the underlying meaning of each story, as well as why the author chose this particular sub-genre. Lastly, we’ll question whether the story was successful. The course’s overall goal is to better understand why speculative fiction is a powerful sub-genre in literature. 

Everyone has stories worth telling—but many of us don’t know where to begin. In this four-week interactive workshop, participants will use story-sparking techniques to uncover vivid memories and meaningful moments from their lives. Each session centers on a life theme—Turning Points, Family, and Aspirations—and includes guided prompts, brief writing, and supportive sharing. Adapted for OLLI from the Guided Autobiography (GAB) method developed by Dr. James Birren, this course emphasizes in-class reflection, engagement, and community. With a small group of up to eight participants, everyone will have time to write, read aloud, and receive affirmative feedback. 

Participants analyze Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved, through lenses of history, psychoanalytic theory and our current tortured historical moment.  We will consider Morrison’s impact on the work of psychoanalyst Dionne Powell, and novelist Jesmyn Ward.  Their insights help us understand impulses driving the current wave of book-banning and censorship, and the dangers of these impulses if they remain unexamined.  The course title is an inversion of psychoanalyst Hans Loewald’s phrase “When Ghosts Become Ancestors.” Instead of considering the growth that comes with recognition and acknowledgement, Beloved requires consideration of the consequences when we refuse to acknowledge and recognize our painful history.

A legacy letter (also called an “ethical will”) is a written document that allows you to share your life lessons, express your values and transmit your blessings to future generations. A legacy letter is shorter than a memoir, typically just a few pages. Writing one is a rewarding experience that creates an enduring gift for family and friends. This four-session online course includes discussion and brief writing exercises to help you examine your life history, explore your values and capture important insights. It offers advice, encouragement and a model structure to help you draft and complete your own legacy letter. 

Recognize the address? Mary Poppins came to visit 17 Cherry Tree Lane and transformed its inhabitants, the Banks family. We will explore imaginative and unusual ways to approach creative writing with the same whimsy and determination as Mary Poppins. Give yourself the gift of time to notice the magic of words and nearly ‘fly’ into writing your own stories or poems. Through writing prompts and writing sessions, your imagination will be invited to the page. Participants will be encouraged to share their work and offer positive comments to others. Prior creative writing experience is not necessary. Please come ready to write, please keep camera on during sharing and prompts to encourage our special community.