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Poetry as Prayer: An Interview with Miriam Calleja
by Writing Workshops Staff
A day ago
Poet and educator Miriam Calleja teaches writers how to use poetry as a form of prayer. Through her workshops, she demonstrates how sharing vulnerable writing fosters community and helps people discover meaning in their lives.
From her unique vantage point as a Maltese writer now residing in Birmingham, Alabama, Calleja brings scientific precision and artistic intuition to her teaching. Having traded her pharmacy career for the writer's life, she understands transformation intimately. Her journey from Catholic faith to agnosticism and then to a new kind of spiritual practice mirrors the path many contemporary seekers travel: not abandoning the sacred, but reimagining it through art.
In her upcoming Poetry as Prayer 6-Week Generative Zoom Workshop, Calleja invites writers to explore what she calls "holy spaces"—those moments of connection and recognition that emerge when we allow poetry to serve as both witness and guide. This isn't about religious doctrine or prescribed beliefs; it's about discovering your own personal anthology of poems that speak to life's depths, creating what Calleja describes as "a prayer book of sorts" unique to each participant.
Through guided visualizations, carefully curated poetry packs, and generative writing exercises, participants will explore themes ranging from gratitude for the ordinary to sacred bonds with nature. But perhaps most importantly, they'll join a community of writers willing to embrace vulnerability in service of something larger—that ineffable quality Calleja describes as "a certain uncanny holiness" that emerges when we pay careful attention to our words and our world.
Writing Workshops: Hi, Miriam. Please introduce yourself to our audience.
Miriam Calleja: Hi! I'm Miriam, a 43-year-old woman from Malta (Europe) who ended up in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband and a big cat called Biscuit. I have a background in the sciences, specifically in pharmacy, but I retired from that role several years ago to focus on writing. I write for magazines, host creative writing workshops, edit, and make art. I have published several full collections of poetry and chapbooks in Malta and the US. I occasionally translate poetry, and my first full collection of translated poetry has just been published! I grew up purely bilingual because Malta is an ex-British colony, and now I speak English, Maltese, and Italian. I enjoy reading/writing/performing poetry, cooking, swimming, watching films, and trying out new activities.
Writing Workshops: What made you want to teach this specific class? Is it something you are focusing on in your own writing practice? Have you noticed a need to focus on this element of craft?
Miriam Calleja: I grew up Catholic but decided to abandon the church and became agnostic several years ago. However, as I grew older, I started reaching out for something that I couldn't find. This happened in negative and positive moments, and also in in-betweens. I noticed that I had occasion in my life to feel that I was experiencing holy spaces - this was in community and especially when I was teaching workshops. In poetry, I find solace, connection, and a reminder of who I am. I teach in a secular manner, and my aim is to develop a set of poems that can act as a prayer book of sorts. This will be different for everybody. And so, I introduce the participants of my workshops to several poems each week. I also encourage them to go searching for their own and to share with the group. I also ask the question: when do we need poetry as prayer? And everyone starts to understand something important about themselves. It is a class that brings about so much vulnerability but also community and connection. I love teaching it and have had such amazing results so far.
Writing Workshops: Give us a breakdown of how the course is going to go. What can the students expect? What is your favorite part about this class you've dreamed up?
Miriam Calleja: Each session begins with a guided visualization exercise, helping participants center and meditate on the topic of the day. This is followed by free writing, where thoughts flow onto the page uninhibited, leading into discussions and sharing of insights.
The workshop includes poetry packs tailored to each theme, featuring 6-8 poems. Select pieces are discussed during the session, such as "How it Burned" by Jeffrey Thomson and "Could Have" by Wislawa Szymborska, which offer creative techniques and thematic inspiration. Generative exercises guide participants in crafting poems, focusing on prompts like gratitude for the ordinary or sacred bonds with nature. Writing is shared in a supportive atmosphere that recognizes diverse perspectives.
By the session's end, participants deepen their individual and collective connection with ritual and poetry, fostering creativity and resilience. They should expect to leave with several first drafts. This workshop offers not just an exploration of poetry but an intimate space for reflection, healing, and the exchange of meaningful ideas.
Writing Workshops: Who was your first literary crush?
Miriam Calleja: Anais Nin (she is still my 'dead or alive' person to have dinner with and yes I'd let her deceive me!)
Writing Workshops: What are you currently reading?
Miriam Calleja: The Best Minds by Jonathan Rosen, The Asking by Jane Hirshfield, Eve by Cat Bohannon, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, and Ay, William by Elizabeth Strout. Hmm, too many.
Writing Workshops: How do you choose what you're working on? When do you know it is the next thing you want to write all the way to THE END?
Miriam Calleja: I think I graze on a few topics, but I also tend to revisit the same few over and over. I like to think of poets as people who are tying and untying the same knot over and over again. When I get really lost and in flow, that's when I know that I've encountered an angle that I should follow... to the end? What's the end?
Writing Workshops: Where do you find inspiration?
Miriam Calleja: Nature, other people's art, seeing a new place, conversation.
Writing Workshops: What is the best piece of writing wisdom you've received that you can pass along to our readers? How did it impact your work? Why has this advice stuck with you?
Miriam Calleja: To pay attention to the direction and intensity of the verbs I'm using. This has made my work more specific and has introduced a greater sense of silence into my poetry when needed. When I am able to do this exercise with intention, my work comes alive, and I can understand it better. It has introduced a certain uncanny holiness into my poetry that is hard to pinpoint.
Writing Workshops: What is your favorite book to recommend on the craft of writing? Why this book?
Miriam Calleja: Oh, so many! It's not fair to make me choose one! My current obsession is Finger Exercises for Poets by Dorianne Laux.
Writing Workshops: Bonus question: What's your teaching vibe?
Miriam Calleja: Casual and non-prescriptive, I strive to be open and invite openness and fun. I enjoy playing and being creative.
Miriam's approach to teaching—casual, non-prescriptive, and infused with playfulness—creates the perfect environment for writers seeking both artistic growth and spiritual exploration. Whether you're searching for solace, connection, or simply a reminder of who you are, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to discover how poetry can serve as both creative practice and contemplative ritual. Join Miriam and a community of fellow seekers in Poetry as Prayer 6-Week Generative Zoom Workshop, where you'll leave each session with new drafts, deeper insights, and your own evolving collection of poems that speak to life's most meaningful moments.
