Poetry books currently featured in the school book store. Photo by Caitlin Mota
By Caitlin Mota–
It’s Spring.
I pick pink gerber daisies.
I pick two then begin veering off
into hotter pink-orange flowers
then white, no red.
The mix is a mess.
–from “Flowers” by Eileen Myles
While much of the NJCU community is uninterested or unaware that April is National Poetry Month, a small group of passionate individuals are striving to bring enthusiasm for poetry to campus.
Joel Angulo, 21 year-old music major from North Bergen, says he doesn’t plan on doing anything to celebrate National Poetry Month. “Poetry isn’t necessarily popular anymore. It’s not taught in schools anymore basically,” said Angulo.
National Poetry Month began in 1996 with the goal to inform the public and media about the art of poetry while hoping to add more poetry to school curriculums. April was designated as the month for acknowledgement because it would attract those who studied Women’s History Month (March) and Black History Month (February) from an artistic point of view.
Although Angelo doesn’t feel the presence of poetry on campus, Karen Weiser, an NJCU English professor, and Jim Behrle, the assistant manager of the campus Barnes and Noble bookstore, are both working to actively engage the community in National Poetry Month.
Weiser was able to receive funding from the school to bring poet, Eileen Myles, to campus on April 8.
“Eileen Myles is a terrific poet,” said Behrle. “It’s great [Weiser] can bring poets like that here. Having poets come to campus helps students find a poet they can relate to.” Myles is an award-winning poet and currently teaches at U.C. San Diego.
Holly Hensley, 25-year old English literature major and student poet, hearing Myles’ speech was encouraging to her. “It was really cool to see a living poet who has won all these awards,” said Hensley. Myles was able to offer Hensley advice on publishing her work.
“Poetry is free; it doesn’t cost anything but a pen, paper, and your mind,” said Weiser. “Poetry is living art that gives us meaning.”
Unlike Angelo who doesn’t feel as though poetry is important or taught in schools, Weiser and Behrle believe that NJCU is home to many great poets and students who are interested in the art. “There already exists a wonderful group [of poets] that is ready to take shape,” Weiser said. “There are ways to get involved.”
“Unfortunately, the Poetics Club has been more or less ‘silent’ for quite some time,” says Dr. Alina Gharabegian, English professor and poetry club moderator. “We haven’t done much of anything at all, and I’m hoping to try to round up some new members.”
Behrle is new to the campus bookstore, but he has already found ways to highlight some of NJCU’s greatest poets. In the center of the bookstore, a table is set up with works from published poets you can find around the campus. “Poets don’t always get their work displayed,” said Behrle.
Showing professors works will help students see a “secret life” of poetry several of their professors may have. Currently on display is Myles’ work along with resident poet Annie Lanzilotto’s work.
Behrle has already observed that NJCU has many great poets in his short amount of time here. Unlike many campuses, “students here have at least 8 or 9 great authors or poets to talk to.” Some of these authors include Corey Frost, Edi Giunta, Joshua Fauste, and many others.
According to Weiser, poetry is something that everyone will relate to at one point in their life. “A lot of people write poems when they are children; it’s part of youth culture,” Weiser stated.
While Angelo joked that he will have to go and read some poetry, Weiser encourages students to take a poetry class, such as poetry workshop, if they have an open English elective.
