2008 Woodie Awards
Laying back the darkness with Edward Hirsch
Chicagoan poet reads from much anticipated work
Jeff Losius
Issue date: 10/24/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Last Thursday night, Edward Hirsch, the famous Contemporary poet from Chicago, was at UNCG to give listeners an earful of his poetry.
The free reading, sponsored by the MFA Writing Program, The Greensboro Review and the Courtyard by Marriot, took place in the Faculty Center on College Ave.
With blue chairs, white walls and skin thick carpet laced with around 90 people, Hirsch began the night by reading his sonnet, "The Poet at Seven."
"This poem is about living an ordinary life, when you realize that some other fate is on the horizon for you, the fate of a poet," Hirsch said.
Moving smoothly, Hirsch read from almost all six of his highly regarded poetry collections, pausing in between poems to tell jokes.
From his collection Wild Gratitude, Hirsch read "My First Theology Lesson," a short, powerful poem about his dead grandfather, a death that greatly affected him.
Hirsch traces his obsession with poetry to the year 1958 when, after his grandfather died, he wandered down into the basement and stumbled upon a poem called "Spellbound." He thought his grandfather had written it. It wasn't until high school that he found the poem again, this time in a book of poetry by Emily Bronte.
"I was shocked when I found out it was written by Bronte and not my grandfather," Hirsch said drawing scattered laughter.
The 56-year-old poet also read from his collection On Love, a book where Hirsch meditates on love using the voices of historic figures.
The highlight of the night came when Hirsch read from his most recent collection, Lay Back the Darkness. The poems "Cotton Candy" and "Branch Library" stood out for their delightful imagery and ear-watering sound.
Hirsch creates a very intimate relationship with his listeners. By the end of the night there wasn't a person in the room who he hadn't made eye contact with. His piercing brown eyes searched the room as every line was delivered in his polished voice.
Hirsch is a professor at the University of Houston and president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Some consider him to be a major American poet. He has also written a few non-fiction pieces including the best seller, How to Read a Poem and Fall in Love with Poetry.
After the reading there was a brief question and answer session. Hirsch was asked if the artist had a responsibility to the reader.
"The first responsibility is to the self and then to the art," Hirsch responded. "Be true to what you feel because you can't fake something you feel."
Jennifer Grotz, an English professor at UNCG, put it this way while introducing Hirsch to the Faculty Center crowd, "In the vast night sky of American poetry, Edward Hirsch is a bright star."
The free reading, sponsored by the MFA Writing Program, The Greensboro Review and the Courtyard by Marriot, took place in the Faculty Center on College Ave.
With blue chairs, white walls and skin thick carpet laced with around 90 people, Hirsch began the night by reading his sonnet, "The Poet at Seven."
"This poem is about living an ordinary life, when you realize that some other fate is on the horizon for you, the fate of a poet," Hirsch said.
Moving smoothly, Hirsch read from almost all six of his highly regarded poetry collections, pausing in between poems to tell jokes.
From his collection Wild Gratitude, Hirsch read "My First Theology Lesson," a short, powerful poem about his dead grandfather, a death that greatly affected him.
Hirsch traces his obsession with poetry to the year 1958 when, after his grandfather died, he wandered down into the basement and stumbled upon a poem called "Spellbound." He thought his grandfather had written it. It wasn't until high school that he found the poem again, this time in a book of poetry by Emily Bronte.
"I was shocked when I found out it was written by Bronte and not my grandfather," Hirsch said drawing scattered laughter.
The 56-year-old poet also read from his collection On Love, a book where Hirsch meditates on love using the voices of historic figures.
The highlight of the night came when Hirsch read from his most recent collection, Lay Back the Darkness. The poems "Cotton Candy" and "Branch Library" stood out for their delightful imagery and ear-watering sound.
Hirsch creates a very intimate relationship with his listeners. By the end of the night there wasn't a person in the room who he hadn't made eye contact with. His piercing brown eyes searched the room as every line was delivered in his polished voice.
Hirsch is a professor at the University of Houston and president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Some consider him to be a major American poet. He has also written a few non-fiction pieces including the best seller, How to Read a Poem and Fall in Love with Poetry.
After the reading there was a brief question and answer session. Hirsch was asked if the artist had a responsibility to the reader.
"The first responsibility is to the self and then to the art," Hirsch responded. "Be true to what you feel because you can't fake something you feel."
Jennifer Grotz, an English professor at UNCG, put it this way while introducing Hirsch to the Faculty Center crowd, "In the vast night sky of American poetry, Edward Hirsch is a bright star."
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