Poetry. Fiction. Essays. The Rustbelt Roethke Writers' Workshop/Retreat was inspired by the work and life of Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet Theodore Roethke (1908-1963), who was born and brought up in Saginaw, Michigan. The Workshop has met each July since 2002 at Saginaw Valley State University, providing experienced writers with a comfortable, egalitarian atmosphere of peer (teacherless) workshops. All participants give public readings and presentations, including several at the Theodore Roethke Home. This anthology was published during the centennial year of Roethke's birth as part of the year-long Roethke Centennial celebration. It showcases the work of all participants in the first 5 years of workshops. Enjoy the variety of poetry, short fiction, flash-fiction, experimental fiction and creative non-fiction from authors who came from as far as Texas, Massachusetts, New York and the Caribbean to work together in Roethke's home landscape: Elinor Benedict, Wendy Taylor Carlisle, Gene Doty, Katherine Fishburn, Patricia Harkins-Pierre, Diane Kendig, Judith Kerman, Adrienne Lewis, Beverly Matherne, Robert E. Mc Donough, Carol Novack, Beatrice O'Brien, John Palen, Jane Piirto, Nancy Pulley, Helen Ruggieri, C. Vincent Samarco, Diane Sautter, Amee Schmidt, Melissa Seitz and Li C. Tien.