Professor Teaches Poetry Series at Local Library

SAGU English Department Chair Diane Lewis is presenting a free poetry writing series at Nicholas P. Sims Library in Waxahachie, Texas.  The series will be followed by a poetry contest at the library in April.  The program is sponsored by the Irene Emerson Fund, a gift to Sims Library from Emerson’s brother, Dr. Burke Evans, in honor of her love for poetry.

The first session of the series was held Thursday, February 4.  Lewis led a lively discussion of who poetry appeals to, what poetry is (by way of identifying what it is not), and where poetry comes from.  She also shared some of her favorite poems.

Additional sessions are scheduled for March 4 & April 1.  The group will discuss poetic forms such as the sonnet and villanelle.  There will also be time given to utilize writing exercises from the book Poemcrazy by Susan Wooldridge, which Lewis uses in her Creative Writing class at SAGU,  and compose original poems.  Participants will also have an opportunity to share their original work and respond to that of their peers.

According to Lewis, “The goal of this workshop is to help people develop confidence in writing poetry.  To do that, we will explore what poetry really is.  People have misconceptions of what poetry has to be; they often feel intimidated by it.  And yet, they are drawn to it.  Our workshop will help people discover the wonder of poetry, of all it can be, as they also discover, ‘I am a poet.’”

While this particular poetry writing series is geared for adults, the library staff has asked Lewis to also teach a series for teenagers.