Mesa Arts & Culture Week: Poetry & Pastries

Elysian Fields joins Visit Mesa in celebrating Mesa Arts & Culture Week with five poet spotlight feature days, each pairing themed confections with a corresponding poetry contest prompt.

Guests can participate in a weeklong poetry contest in-bakery or online, with new prompts unveiled alongside each featured poet.


Featured Poets & Themed Confections
Edgar Allan Poe – Dark chocolate and cherry-inspired treats
Maya Angelou – Honey, citrus, peach, and berry-forward pastries
J.R.R. Tolkien – Honey, apple, chai spice, and brown butter confections
H.P. Lovecraft – Espresso, dark chocolate, blackberry, and salted caramel desserts
Homer – Fig, pistachio, honey, and sesame pastries
(Menu details are subject to change)

Poetry Contest Details
One continuous contest throughout the event
Submit in-bakery or via social media
Grand Prize: Curated “Poet’s Box” of treats + featured spotlight
Prompt Winners: BOGO offer (one per poet prompt)


Poetry Prompts
Edgar Allan Poe: Write 4–8 lines in which a beautiful object (a room, a song, a keepsake) becomes unsettling. Use one repeated phrase to mimic a heartbeat or echo.

H.P. Lovecraft: Write a poem that hints at something vast and unknowable just out of sight. Avoid naming the “thing” directly—let atmosphere and sensory detail do the work.

Maya Angelou: Write a poem of resilience and radiance—begin with a hardship, end with a declaration. Include at least one image of sunrise, sweetness, or song.

William Shakespeare: Write a mini modern sonnet (6–8 lines) addressed to someone or something you adore. Use either a turn (volta) in the final two lines or a clever contrast in the middle.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Write a poem that reads like a travel-song from an imagined journey. Include two invented place names, one humble meal, and a moment of wonder.

Homer: Write 6–10 lines in an epic-leaning voice about a small, everyday quest. Use at least two vivid similes (“like…” / “as…”).

Come for the culture, stay for the confections—and a little poetic glory along the way.