Professor Talks Poetry

For a review of events around campus celebrating National Poetry Month, the Yale Daily News spoke to J. D. McClatchy about poetry at Yale, National Poetry Month itself, and the musical adaptation of “Resignation,” among other things:

“Life is cut up into fast food bits that are taken in and barely chewed or swallowed,” he said. “[Poetry] is meant to complicate things, to slow the life down, not speed it up.”

[…]

For McClatchy, the events this weekend are part of a larger discussion about the role of poets and poetry in the Yale community. Though he praised the recent influx of poetry events, McClatchy said that celebrating a National Poetry Month does have one downside.

“The danger of National Poetry Month is that it might allow you to forget about poetry for the other 11,” he said.

[…]

“It’s crucial for students to learn the art now, so that they won’t waste any opportunity that life offers for inspiration,” he said. “They will then be equipped with the tools to transform life into art.

Read the full article.

April 8, 2009, 10:54am · national poetry month, poetry, resignation, yale