Back in high school English class, you probably learned how poets spoke for their time—how the literature of the day reflected all that was happening politically, culturally, spiritually and economically. Who’s speaking for us today? In this five-week course, we’ll take a look at the five most recent U.S. poet laureates: Philip Levine, Natasha Trethewey, Charles Wright, Juan Felipe Herrera, and Tracy K. Smith. Appointed annually by the librarian of Congress, the official job description of the Poet Laureate is to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. But the Poet Laureate, who is selected by a committee that includes the current Laureate and distinguished poetry critics, is someone who represents the prevailing poetry aesthetic. What do your laureates have to say about you? And what do you think of them? And what, in fifty years, will high school students have to say about how these poets spoke to our time here on this planet, in this country?
Guiding you on this journey through the Laureates is Western Slope poet laureate emeritus Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. Her master’s degree is in English Language and Linguistics, and for 10 years, she directed the Telluride Writers Guild. She has written a poem a day for several years, and her poems have been featured in O Magazine and on A Prairie Home Companion. Her books include The Less I Holdand The Miracle Already Happening. Visit her website, www.wordwoman.com for writing exercises and essays on the art of writing.
Registration for the 5 week series is $160.
For more information, visit https://www.weehawkenarts.org/all-classes/224-lightning-rods-for-the-muse-america-s-most-recent-poet-laureates-with-rosemerry-wahtola-trommer