Poetic Experience
Stein speaks about the future of poetry
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| Illinois Poet Laureate Kevin Stein speaks to a group Thursday at the Morris Public Library about what he is trying to accomplish in his role for the art of poetry. Stein, who is also a professor at Bradley University, has started a Web site (www.bradley.edu/poet) featuring audio of poets reading their work. (Herald photo by Adam Nekola – anekola@morrisdailyherald.com) |
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In December 2003, the Governor of Illinois named Kevin Stein Illinois Poet Laureate, filling the position previously held by Howard Austin, Carl Sandburg, and Gwendolyn Brooks. This accolade is one of many Stein has earned during his career as poet, critic, editor, and teacher.
Stein was in Morris last night speaking at the Morris Area Library.
Q: Do you think poetry is alive and well?
A: Actually, I do. In the halls of academia and in university settings many of my colleagues think poetry is dead. It was announced in a published essay 25 years ago. I call it the poetry afterlife. There is a resurgence of poetry in clubs and schools. I absolutely think there is a poetry afterlife.
Q: You appreciate poetry, do you have a favorite poem?
A: It varies by season and temperament. No one poet has always been my favorite. As I read more it changes. One may not have been important to me when I was younger but now I find it relevant. Your favorite should always change as one changes.
Q: What is your favorite poem you have written?
A: Again there is no one favorite. It would have to be the one I am working on at the moment. (It) may be just in pencil draft but I like it the most now. That is what keeps me going.
Q: No favorite poems, but do you have a favorite poet?
A: The poet I’m reading at the moment. It evolves a lot. Like an album you play over and over again one day you no longer want to listen to it, that happens with writers too. I could name 10 authors at each age, 20, 30, 40, 50. I’ve devoted most of my scholarly life to American poet James Wright.
Q: What type of poetry intrigues you more?
A: There is no one type. I am interested in a variety of work. When I find one made of expression that’s new I may not like it but it excites me. I’ve always wanted to do it all.
Q: Where do you see poetry going?
A: There are several movements of worthy note. The spoken word, performance poetry, and the poetry slam. The poetry slam started as a movement in Chicago in 1987 by Mark Smith. The idea is poetry is more performance, not just a page in a book. Young people will go to a poetry slam and bring a whole mix of different genres.
Q: Do you feel today’s youth is still active in poetry?
A: Young people have given me great faith. I have sections on my two Web sites that contain wonderful poetry written by Illinois’ youth. I hold a state wide poetry contest and see wonderful and exciting poems. Young writers are often better writers. They still have the love of language and a giddiness that we lose as we get older.
Q: Do you think the Internet and technology has had an influence on poetry?
A: I think people are taking advantage of new media inventions including the web. What you think of as a poem can be part of a screen or design. It becomes interactive as you push a button which starts an audio or visual presentation. It takes poetry off of the page and puts it on a screen. The internet is both a blessing and a curse. It allows more poetry to be out there, more bad poetry to be out there as well. Paper books and literary magazines are going by the way side as publications stop printing hard copies, leaving just the internet version available.
