Poetry: Who Needs It?

I was having a discussion in the computer room of the English Department the other day with another grad student working in American Poetry who mentioned that he and some others had started a contemporary poetry reading group. What contemporary poets were they reading?

[Drumroll]

Seamus Heaney and Richard Wilbur.


Why do so many folks--these are poetry people working on PhDs in American poetry--not read contemporary poetry? I can't imagine one of the Film Studies students not watching new films...or science folks not reading scientific journals...

So I'm going to join the group. We'll be reading Gabriel Gudding soon. I gave the fellow from the computer room a copy of "Fons Belli" and Gabe's essay, "Dung in an Age of Empire."

Shakin' things up. Sorta.