The Poetry Center of Chicago

Hands on Stanzas Blogs

Why I Ode-a...
Submitted by Larry Dean on June 17, 2013 - 2:42pm.
Skinner West
For our penultimate class, we looked at another famous poetic form. Odes are lyric poems about something you really like, and they tend to be longer, using that extra length to explain why the writer is so enthusiastic about the subject. The ode is a very old form, dating back to the ancient Greeks, but it continues to be popular today. I decided to focus on a contemporary poem to discuss, Kevin Young's "Ode to the Midwest."

In the poem, Young repeats "I want to" a number of times, suggesting, for example, that he would like to be "doused / in cheese // & fried," "live / forever in a Christmas sweater," and "be // the only black person I know." Looking at all these things he says he wants, I asked if they seemed realistic at all, and we agreed that some did while others clearly did not. Is he trying to be funny, I asked? Serious? Both? And how does everything pertain to Young writing his ode to the Midwest? read more »

News & Updates

Elise Paschen and Kevin Prufer Reading 3:00 Saturday November 19th at The Poetry Center of Chicago 78 E Washington St.,

Kevin Prufer is the author of five books of poems, the most recent of which are In a Beautiful Country (Four Way, 2011) and National Anthem (2008), named one of the five best poetry books of the year by Publishers Weekly. He is also Editor of, among others, New European Poets (Graywolf, 2008; w/Wayne Miller) and Editor-at-Large of Pleiades: A Journal of New Writing.

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Hands on Stanzas Summer Fling
This summer Hands on Stanzas, The Poetry Center's literacy through poetry program, was proud to partner with Alternatives, Inc. to bring poetry programming to seven summer camps sponsored by the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.

Alternatives, Inc. is northeast Chicago's largest agency dedicated to at-risk youth and their families. The not-for profit agency's goal is to facilitate personal development, strengthen family relationships, and enhance the community's well being.

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Hands on Stanzas Anthology Live!
The 2010 Hands on Stanzas Anthology of Student Verse is here.

Students participating in the Poetry Center's literacy through poetry program for the 2009-2010 academic year are assembled here, for the first time, in this comprehensive electronic collection of poetry.

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Natalie Merchant on NPR's Morning Edition
Natalie Merchant spoke to Morning Edition host Renee Montagne this morning about her newly released album Leave Your Sleep, which features Merchant's musical interpretations of poetry by a diverse array of writers. Merchant will be performing songs from this album in an upcoming concert brought to you by the Poetry Center. The interview is available online here.

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Paul and Maryrose Carroll Beat Collection
Through his editorship of literary journals, Paul Carroll promoted the development of the 1950s era Beat poets. While serving as the poetry editor of the Chicago Review, Carroll and editor Irving Rosenthal included controversial rising poets William Burroughs, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac. Although Chicago Review was recognized for avant garde works, University of Chicago's Chancellor Lawrence Kimpton suppressed its Winter 1959 issue leading Carroll and Rosenthal to found a new journal Big Table with increased literary freedom to publish Beat poets.

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Li-Young Lee reading on Chicago Amplified
Li-Young Lee's October 20th reading at the Poetry Center of Chicago is featured on WBEZ Chicago Public Radio's Chicago Amplified. To listen to the program just click the link below.

http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=29727

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