Former CT Laureate makes first time visit to university

The prolonged silence experienced in the Tower Room of the Arnold Bernard Center on Thursday, September 15 was a chance for listeners to absorb the words of Marilyn Nelson. She is an award-winning poet and helped to kick off the first Necessary Voices Lecture Series of the semester with an evident passion for the art of poetry intertwined with history.

Due to construction being undergone in the ABC Building, the Necessary Voices Poetry Reading was held in the spacious Tower Room, on the 9^th floor, which provided a scenic view beyond the vast windows. At 4:30 p.m. English Professor (Dr.) Diane Krumrey officially opened up the 2^nd year of Necessary Voices, which she explained began last year at the University of Bridgeport and is meant to energize the discussion of ideas and the arts. Krumrey then went on to introduce a "great, poetic treasure," Marilyn Nelson. Nelson has been teaching for over 30 years, is a Professor Emeritus of the University of Connecticut, has written poetry, music lyrics, children's books and poetry translations, and is well-known for being Connecticut Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2006. According to The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCT), the Poet Laureate serves as an advocate for poetry and promotes the appreciation of and participation in poetry and literary arts activities among Connecticut citizens.

Nelson began her reading by first emphasizing briefly the importance of meditation, stating that "we learn in silence," and then moving on to begin a reading from her book, "The Fields of Praise." She introduced a series called "Mama's Promises in which she intended the poems to be about feminist theology, where she calls God "Mama," and started with a poem entitled, "The Lost Daughter." It highlighted parenting and the importance of children being seen by their parent(s), however, is based on a true experience of being lost in a department store when she was younger.

"[It's about] accepting the responsibilities of parenting, yet finding it terrifying," Nelson said. "But connecting it to generations of parents who felt the same way."

She mentioned her love of historic research and read other poems that were influenced by figures in history—whether it was Venture Smith and "A Treasure Buried," Connecticut's official state heroine Prudence Crandall and "Jump, Jump, Jump," or even "Not my Bones" written in honor of a set of human remains unknown at first but later found out to be an 18^th Century slave named Fortune. She shows admiration for George Washington Carver and described him as a saint. Nelson has written poems on Carver and felt that this man is what motivates a person to live a virtuous life.

"I've fallen into accident [into] writing about history," Nelson said. "[I've] fallen into it by coincidence, not by choice."

Sophomore Julie Torres attended the Poetry Reading and said she had read a couple of Nelson's poems before. Although appreciating Nelson's historic focus, Torres admits wanting to know more about the person behind the verses.

"I love history," Torres said. "I wish she would have written more about herself."

A few years ago, English Professor Eric Lehman saw a wonderful presentation of her work at the Florence Griswold Museum at which "they paired her Venture Smith poems with the work of artists."

"It was quite moving and got me interested in the rest of her poetry," Lehman stated. "I hope that my students will be inspired to read and write poetry."

Professor Krumrey hoped that her students walked away from Necessary Voices appreciating how inspiring it is.

"She [Marilyn Nelson] really showed us how history can be an inspiration and can be transformed to people of our own time," Krumrey said. "She's a really important Connecticut poet and has a lot to inspire students at UB; plus, she's cool and fun to listen to."

"I write poetry in an attempt to find deeper truth," Nelson said. "The truth we are seeking is essentially the same truth."

When asked what she hopes listeners took away from her readings, Nelson said, "the kind of pleasure that comes from a story told well."