Fall Writer’s Series Finishes Well

The final Montage Writer’s Series of the fall semester was held before a full room on Tuesday, Dec. 3 in Quinnipiac Student Center 119. Featured reader Marissa Himbele read original poetry and fiction, and student band Oak Tree performed four songs before the night was capped off with a student story slam.

“Tonight was great,” said Quinnipiac assistant professor of English and creative writing head Ken Cormier. “It was the second time in a row we had to bother the people upstairs for more chairs, so that’s good.”

Himbele, a senior media studies major, took the stage first, reading a few poems and a story entitled “Cleaning Out the Pipes,” about a plumber that found himself cozying up with neighborhood wives.

“It was a little nerve racking, I guess because I’ve never done something like that before,” Himbele said. “But I think it’s something I needed to do if I want to be a good writer.”

Then it was Oak Tree’s turn. The band, made up of seniors Stephanie Griffin on guitar and Greg Rava on harmonica and cajon, is no stranger to the writer’s series, as Tuesday marked Oak Tree’s third appearance in the event in the last two years.

“I was looking forward to this event the whole semester,” Griffin said. “It’s showcasing more of the talent on campus that we wouldn’t know of without events like this.”

The two features were then followed by a story slam, in which competitors had seven minutes or less to tell a story from their own lives before being judged on a scale of one to 10. Senior Joe Romano took home first prize—a lawn frog and a $25 Chartwells gift certificate.

Tuesday’s attendance was high for the writer’s series, as 33 people were counted in the room during the features, with even more filing in for the story slam.

“The turnout was much more than expected, much more than usual, and I think everyone had a good time,” said Justin Goldsmith, Montage Literary & Arts Magazine Editor-in-Chief

“We have off nights where there are fewer people,” Cormier said. “It’s always a great event, but of course it’s exciting for everybody when you’re in a full room. The audience gets into it and the performers feed off that.”

Creative arts have somewhat of a muted presence at Quinnipiac, and Cormier believes the writer’s series is important as a venue for students to see their peers’ creative works as well as display their own.

“We’re here in this community, and any good community needs to have an opportunity for its creative people to feature their work,” Cormier said.

Montage Writer’s Series Attendance By Person
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Athletically Driven, Creatively Inclined

Quinnipiac junior Tanner Celestin is a member of the women’s volleyball team. She’s also found a passion for creative writing from her time spent in Hamden. Despite her hectic schedule as a student-athlete, Celestin still manages to be involved with creative writing at Quinnipiac. She is an editor for Montage, Quinnipiac’s Literary and Arts Magazine, and recently read at the Montage Writer’s Series with Brooklyn Poet Jenny Zhang. Celestin won third place in last year’s Donald Hall Poetry Prize, and looks to be taking her creative work to a new level.

Audio Narrative at QU: A Different Take on Literary Art

EN 300 is a special topics English course at Quinnipiac University, and this semester it’s the course name for audio narrative, taught by creative writing professor Ken Cormier.

Originally listed as an FVI course, audio narrative is a class that focuses on the intersection of audio and story telling. Students complete projects based on prompts as well as open-ended assignments that allow for more free range.

“It’s really cool because we always have new projects to work on,” said Michael Vaspiano, a senior in the class. “It’s not like you’re trying to outdo yourself, but you want to constantly improve.”

Cormier says his favorite part about the class is working with students who have little to no experience with audio.

“The best is when a student comes in having no knowledge of audio equipment or techniques,” Cormier said, “and then they really start to play with the form, the equipment and everything.

It’s fun to see a student go from zero, no experience, to having this body of work to look at,” Cormier added.

Below are some photos of the class.

A Day in the Life of a Budding Poet: Justin Goldsmith

For Justin Goldsmith, a 21-year-old senior at Quinnipiac University, school involves a lot more than just regular class assignments and due dates. Goldsmith is the editor-in-chief of Montage, Quinnipiac’s literary & arts magazine, a position that has stretched his responsibilities further than ever before.

“It’s been more than I’ve ever dealt with at school,” Goldsmith said. “It hasn’t been anything I can’t handle, and I enjoy it, but sometimes it feels like a lot.”

Goldsmith has been able to manage the task of running Montage while keeping up with his regular daily routines of going to the gym and doing schoolwork. Some of his duties include looking over submissions to the magazine, organizing meetings, and hosting and reading at the Montage Writer’s Series every other Tuesday along with English professor Ken Cormier. Goldsmith also completely planned Literary Death Match, Montage’s yearly event scheduled this year for Nov. 5.

“I’ve enjoyed the responsibilities for the most part,” Goldsmith said. “When I need help I ask Professor Cormier or another one of the editors, and they’ve been great.”

It’s come easy for Goldsmith, who has a growing portfolio of creative work. His poem “Hit” took first prize in last year’s Donald Hall Poetry Prize at Quinnipiac, and he was recently selected as the school’s representative in the Connecticut Poetry Circuit contest.

Here’s an inside look at a day in the life with Goldsmith, including his appearance at the Writer’s Series.

Goldsmith works out regularly, and finds time to go to the gym despite his hectic schedule.

Goldsmith folding his laundry. “I never fold my laundry right after I do it,” Goldsmith said.

Goldsmith in the Carl Hansen Student Center reading “Dracula” for a class assignment.

Goldsmith in Mancheski 109 in Quinnipiac’s School of Business, awaiting the start of the Montage Writer’s Series.

Goldsmith at the Writer’s Series making an announcement about Montage’s upcoming event Literary Death Match on Nov. 5.

Goldsmith (front, right) showing a video during the open mic portion of the Montage Writer’s Series.

Goldsmith and fellow editor Tanner Celestin hosting a meeting for Montage in Tator Hall.

Goldsmith talking with Montage member Dan Moro about helping put up posters for the upcoming Literary Death Match

Goldsmith at a local craft store following the meeting, looking over fabrics for his Halloween costume.

Goldsmith capping his day off with milk and cookies. “They’re probably the best relaxation food,” he said.

 

CT Poets Laureate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The position of poet laureate might be honorary, but in the state of Connecticut, it’s also active. Ct.gov describes the poet laureate as “the state’s representative poet” who “serves as an advocate for poetry and promotes the appreciation of an participation in poetry and literary arts activities among Connecticut citizens.” Established by the State of Connecticut in 1985, the position of poet laureate is held in terms of five years. Current poet laureate Dick Allen was honored with the titel in 2011, and will remain Connecticut’s poet laureate until 2015. The position is one based around the community of literary arts, so attending and organizing community events are a regular occurance for a poet laureate, like when Allen read at Poets for Change in Waterbury, Conn. on Sept. 28.

CT Word wanted to take a brief but closer look at Allen and some prior Connecticut poets laureate. John Hollander was the state’s poet laureate from 2007 until his death in 2011, and Marilyn Nelson–who also read at Poets for Change in September–held the position from 2001-2006. All three are extremely accomplished and renowned poets who have received various awards and recognition for their work. Below is a graph displaying how many books of poetry each has published.

(Link)

Below is a map looking at some significant places in each of the poets’ lives, as well as their connection to the state of Connecticut.

(Link)

Students Can Read, Too

The Quinnipiac University English department had this in mind when it introduced the Montage Writer’s Series–a bi-monthly open mic followed by two student featured readers. The first Writer’s Series of the Fall 2013 semester was held this past Tuesday, Oct. 1, before a crowd of about 25 students and faculty.

“I had always expressed an interest in creative writing,” said Anthony DiMartino, a Quinnipiac sophomore and one of the featured student readers. “Being a featured reader is almost a culmination of what I’ve been working for. It’s a personal success.”

For Quinnipiac students living on campus, the Montage Writer’s Series is the most accessible literary reading around, giving students the chance to read their work in a friendly open mic setting, as well as listen to fellow students. This would probably explain why, in a poll conducted by CT Word, 69 percent of voters said they would attend a student reading on campus.

However, Jason Koo, an English professor at Quinnipiac and founder of the Brooklyn-based poetry organization Brooklyn Poets, doesn’t think college campuses are always the best place for professional poets to read.

“They’re not the best venue,” Koo said. “They can be, if the students attending the reading have read the poet’s work. I think what makes colleges good in a lot of people’s minds is that you can require your audience to be there.”

In a poll conducted by CT Word, however, 60 percent of voters expressed they were most likely to attend a poetry reading at a school rather than a restaurant, bar, library or bookstore. This can probably be chalked up to the accessibility factor mentioned above.

 

Koo said that readings are one of the most important things organizations like his Brooklyn Poets can do to foster interest in the organization and poetry as a whole.

“They’re very important, because poetry is by nature a solitary activity,” Koo said. “People want to feel like they’re a part of something. This is true whether they’re reading for your series or just attending.”

DiMartino believes the creative writing environment at Quinnipiac is a great place to perform, submit, and learn.

“The creative writing community at a college campus varies by location, but the best way for that to grow is through frequent readings and through reaching out to the students,” DiMartino said. “Quinnipiac does a great job of both, I think.”

The next Montage Writer’s Series will be held on Oct. 15 at 6:00 p.m. in the Carl Hansen Student Center, room 119.

CT Word Asks: Poetry Readings

Live poetry readings are a vital part of the creative writing scene in any community or state, and CT Word wants to learn more about reading attendance in Connecticut and beyond. CT Word asks: Have you ever been to a poetry reading? Where would be most likely to attend one? Would you attend a student reading on a college campus? Answer the polls below and comment about your experiences with poetry readings.

Poets for Change in Connecticut

It’s been over nine months since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., but for nearby residents and parents across the country, the pain is still fresh. Gun control rallies have been held and lawmakers have been lobbied, but little has happened to change the idea of gun culture in America besides actual shooting violence.

Dr. Brian Clements, a poetry professor and creative writing MFA coordinator at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Conn. and a Newtown resident, saw poetry as a way to change it.

“Some poetry is art for art’s sake, but some poetry is tool for social change,” Clements said. “There have always been poets who have used poetry as a political tool.”

Poets for Change began at 10 a.m. and featured over 30 readers and musical performers, including Dick Allen, Connecticut’s current poet laureate. Clements aligned the event with 100 Thousand Poets for Change (100TPC), an organization that strives to promote political and social change through poetry. Poets for Change at Western Connecticut State was just one of over 500 poetry events going on around the world on Sept. 28, 100TPC’s Global Event Day.

“It seemed like a natural opportunity to combine my desire to do something about gun violence and this organization that already existed,” Clements said. “It wasn’t difficult to get in touch with people, and when they found out what we were doing they all almost immediately said yes.”

Dr. Brian Clements reading at Poets for Change at Western Connecticut State University

Three students from Newtown High School read poems they wrote in class, and a few organizations were in attendance, such as the Newtown Action Alliance and Moms Demand Action, a group founded just one day after the Sandy Hook shooting.

“As citizens we have a right to show and share what we think,” said Beatriz Delgado of Moms Demand Action. “We see how [gun violence] is in this country, we see the consequences, and we want it to change.”

Clements knew he could do his part in Connecticut, a state that has become the de facto epicenter of the gun control debate since last December.

“I felt that it was important for me to do something while taking advantage of my field,” Clements said. “I don’t know if it will affect any change, but if we can get a few people to speak out and take their own personal actions after today, that might help out.”

Below is a link to Dr. Brian Clements talking about Poets for Change.

http://instagram.com/p/e0XNWakKvo/

Reading Around

One of the most difficult things for a young poet or poetry enthusiast is finding a comfortable reading environment–one in which to share their work amongst folks that appreciate poetry and value the opportunity to hear others’ work.

“There’s so much great stuff,” said Alice-Ann Harwood, co-founder of the Connecticut Poetry Institute and host of the Third Thursday Poetry Series at The Institute Library in New Haven. “The poetry scene in Connecticut is actually one of our best kept secrets.”

While some open mics are competitive, most are just a chance for any reader to get up in front of a crowd and give their work an audience. The non-competitiveness is something Harwood loves about her readings at the Institute Library.

“That’s what I really love about this space,” Harwood said. “There’s nothing competing with us, it’s all about the poetry, it’s about sharing it and experiencing it together.”

The Third Thursday series meets just once per month, but eager readers in the New Haven area and throughout Connecticut need not wait that long to read or share their poems. There are open mics throughout the state every single week, all of which are open to the public and especially new readers.

“It’s inspirational to me to hear new voices and see new faces,” said poet Lonnie Black, the featured reader at Third Thursday Poetry on Sept. 19.

People who want to hear poetry read by established poets also have venues available to them. One such event is Poets for Change on Sept. 28, an all-day poetry and music event at Western Connecticut State University “in support of eliminating the culture of gun violence in the United States.” The event features several poets, including current Connecticut Poet Laureate Dick Allen.

Below is a map of just a few places where poets can share their work at an open mic on a weekly and monthly basis, including venues in Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London. Aspiring readers can also turn to the CT Poetry Calendar for upcoming events and open mics throughout the state.

Link to Map 

Third Thursday Poetry in New Haven

Looking for a poetry reading to attend in the greater New Haven area? Look no further.

Poet Lonnie Black will take the stage as the featured reader at The Poetry Institute in New Haven this Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7:00 p.m. as part of the institute’s Third Thursday Poetry series.

On the third Thursday of every month, the institute opens up for a reading, featuring an open mic beginning at 6:30 p.m. before the featured reader begins at 7:00 p.m.

Lonnie Black (photo courtesy of donnafleischer.wordpress.com)

Black is well known for his teaching of poetry classes and workshops throughout the state, and is a co-founder of the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival–now in its 21st year–held each summer in Farmington, Conn.

Black is a highly regarded poet in the state of Connecticut, but search his name online and you’ll find almost no results–no published work, hardly any information–other than on The Poetry Institute’s site promoting his reading this Thursday. To take in Black’s poetry, a person’s best option would be to attend a reading (other than actually speaking to the man himself). But are readings the preferred way for avid poetry readers and listeners to take in poetry?

A 2006 study on Poetry in America conducted by The Poetry Foundation in Chicago, Ill. found that 29.3 percent of poetry listeners cite poetry readings as their source of poetry. Despite the date of the study, it comes as no surprise that most listeners cite television, movies, radio, and CDs/tapes as their sources of poetry–a number that would likely be increased today.

Fig. 12, “Poetry in America: Review of the Findings”

Part of this, as the study says, is due to the fact that the dominant media–TV, flim, etc.–is easily accessible. People don’t need to leave their homes to access videos or tapes (unless buying them), whereas poetry readings are “structured events whose listeners must be able to accommodate in order to attend.”

The mode of absorbing poetry is a debate of personal preference, as accessibility plays a key role in how much a listener can take in, while readings themselves provide a live experience with the work coming from the poet who created it.

CT Word will be at Black’s reading this Thursday at The Institute Library on 847 Chapel St. in New Haven, and will provide post-event coverage.