Legacy of Poetry Day

Description

In celebration of Poetry Month, San Jose University will be hosting "Legacy of Poetry Day" on Thursday, April 19th at Caret Plaza/Martin Luther King Library (Campus Side) from 11:45 - 3:30, in front of Martin Luther King Library where current students, faculty, emeriti, and alumni associated with the SJSU poetry community will to return to campus to take part in an afternoon of readings.

The President of San Jose State University Mohammad H. Qayoumi along with Senate Chair Beth Von Till, and organizer and Professor, Annette Nellen will give opening remarks about the significance of this event, and San Jose State’s contribution to Poetry.

At 12:00, San Jose State's English faculty reading historically significant San Jose poets, Edwin Markham, famous for the nationally recognized poem, "Man with A Hoe," and Henry Meade Bland, California Poet Laureate from 1929-1931.

Also, San Jose State’s English faculty will be reading poems of Adrienne Rich in celebration of her life. Adrienne Rich, poet, non-fiction writer, essayist who is regarded as, “one of the most widely read and influential poets of the second half of the 20th century" was once a member of the English faculty, and returned to read on campus on three different occasions. Faculty remembered her as talking highly of San Jose State and the up and coming poets in San Jose.

At 12:30, Erica Goss, graduate of San Jose State's MFA Program will read from her newly released chapbook, "Wild Place," published by Finishing Line press. Erica has won many awards including the Edwin Markham Poetry Prize, and the Many Mountains Moving Poetry Contest.

At 12:50, Nils Peterson, emeritus faculty member and the first Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County will read his work. His most recent collection, A Walk to the Center of All Things, published by Poetry Center San Jose, came out in 2011. His poetry will be set to music by English Jazz composer Will Todd.

At 1:30, current Santa Clara County poet laureate Sally Ashton will open the reading. Her recent collection, Some Odd Afternoon was published by BlazeVOX. Recently, she has organized readings like “Santa Clara County’s Favorite Poems Project,” and ran the “Poetry on the Move” contests where the winner will have their poems posted in the inside of buses and light rail.

At: 1:45. Legacy of Poetry Day will conclude with a reading from alumni and current MFA Creative Writing students. Notable alumni like Kevin Arnold, President of Poetry Center San Jose, and Tommy Mouton, head of the Alta Vista Writer’s Workshop, will read their work in the MFA reading.

This event is open and free to the public, so come celebrate National Poetry Month at San Jose State which will honor the past, present, and future contributors to Poetry.

More Info

Link

http://www.sjsu.edu/reading/poetry.htm

Call

(408) 924-3508

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