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More than 20 attended the New Writing Series Thursday at the Soderberg Auditorium, in Jenness Hall, where poets Jonathan Skinner and Annie Finch created a new poetic atmosphere.
Skinner read from his book, “Political Cactus Poems,” made from 100 percent recycled paper and soy-based ink. As he read, he tapped his foot to stay in the steady rhythm of his words. Skinner’s form of poetry is ecopoetics, which combines literary practice and nature. He also portrayed a sense of politics in his works, due to the government’s role in the environment. Skinner asked, “Is the president from Mars?” Some of the audience members laughed over this. Skinner explained that he used to laugh every time he read it, but now he doesn’t.
Reading from “Entropic Liberties,” a work for which he collaborated with Jane Sprague, Skinner mentioned the places he went to create such works. He spent time at Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia, PA, as well as the wetland areas in upstate New York.
Skinner read some poems from his current manuscript, “Wetlands.” His poem, titled “A Natural History of Levees,” took the audience back to the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. Within Skinner’s three line stanzas, he discussed the history of the levees that couldn’t hold back the many storms that have plagued New Orleans over the decades. Skinner’s line, “The war on misery has not yet been declared,” really defines the root of the problem.
When Finch took the spot behind the podium, the audience was still stuck on tragedy. However, as soon as she smiled and spoke, she opened the audience to her magical world of poetry. She started from memory, reciting “Muses” from her first book, “Encyclopedia of Scotland.” She not only spoke her words but also added the youthful quality of the 22-year-old self that had written the poem.
Between readings, Finch discussed her position as a modern poet and feminist who included her pagan ideals in her work. In her book “Eve,” she separated her works into nine themes based on nine goddesses. Finch also read from “Calendars,” which captured her pagan beliefs. From this book, she shared “Insomniac Poem,” “Pregnancy Poem,” “Baby Poem” and “Sex Poem.”
At the end of her reading, she included a piece that she translated from Louise Lab� titled, “Kiss Me Again” and work from her current manuscript.
After the reading, both Skinner and Finch took a seat in front of the audience and answered questions. Silvaria, an audience member who preferred not to give her last name, asked Finch to talk more about her work “Eve,” which turned into a discussion on her religion. Finch said, “It has its limits.” She continued that paganism is the thread of her work. Finch said that she used to feel shame in telling people she was part of the pagan religion because people don’t understand and assume “witchcraft.”
The reading ended with a discussion of the very essence of language brought up by David Kress, an English professor. Skinner concluded that like many ideas of conformity, he debates form and language in his works all the time, but most importantly feels that language is the portal.
