“The Poet’s Job: Looking into The Darkness of Our Time,” University of Windsor, Ontario
The Humanities Research Group’s 2013-2014 Distinguished Speakers Series Presents:
“The Poet’s Job: Looking Into The Darkness of Our Time” talk with Anne Waldman at the University of Windsor
Ezra Pound said something to the effect of “In the mind of the poet all times are contemporaneous”. Gertrude Stein invoked “The continuous present”, Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben speaks of the need to be contemporary with one’s time, and how in order to do this the poet must look into the “darkness of one’s own time”. This is seen as a generative act, however, and relates to the physiology of “off cells” in the retina. Anne Waldman will discuss her own innovative practices as a writer, her work with the poetics infrastructure and pedagogy (the founding of the Kerouac School at Naropa University with Allen Ginsberg) and other cultural interventions.
This event is free of charge and will be followed by a short reception.
Freed Orman Centre
University of Windsor
Ontario