Visiting Writer's Program Celebrates Spoken Word with Acclaimed Poet

One of America’s most celebrated poets discussed her craft during a recent Upper School Assembly as the next installment of the English Department’s annual Visiting Writers program.

Poet Marilyn Nelson read selections of her work, discussed elements of her personal story, and revealed her sources of inspiration to Upper School students. The assembly was followed by a 45-minute workshop for all junior English Honors students.

“The Visiting Writers program exposes students to writers directly to hear their voice and have a more direct connection to the writer. I think in this case, Ms. Nelson was pretty inspirational as both history and poetry come together in her work,” said English Dept. Chair Paul Gustafson.

Ms. Nelson is a highly acclaimed poet, a three-time finalist for the National Book award, and a former poet laureate of Connecticut. She is well-known for her poetry dealing with African American history.

In addition, she is the author or translator of 17 poetry books for adults and children and five chapbooks. In 2014 she published a memoir, named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2014, entitled How I Discovered Poetry—a series of 50 poems about growing up in the 1950’s in a military family. Ms. Nelson is a professor emerita of English at the University of Connecticut.

Mr. Gustafson noted that his department has enhanced its poetry curriculum and added more of an emphasis on the genre.

“Poetry is a primary form of literary expression,” he said. “It’s a vehicle that can deliver meaning in a very direct way – especially depending on the poems you choose. It’s really an important thing to teach.”

Students approach subject matter in a deeper way, Mr. Gustafson said, as a result of reading and writing poetry. They learn that “every word needs to count” and they are perhaps encouraged to get a little more personal in what they’re writing, he said.