Poetry Discussion with Janet Krauss: The Poetry of Carl Phillips (Zoom)

Please join Wilton Library on Zoom as Janet Krauss leads a discussion of a selection of poems by Carl Phillips. Links to the poems will be emailed in advance of the program.

It has been said that Carl Phillips’ vision is “a somber, autumnal landscape, one that is illuminated by moments of ephemeral, ethereal beauty.” Ephemeral, yes, but fixed in print as gifts to his readers. Phillips can state an opinion and then follow it with a stunning metaphor to illustrate his abstract comment. He tells, then shows. We will see all all this happen in the poems we will discuss. Phillips, the Pulitzer Prize winner of Poetry for 2023, was born in 1959 in Everett, Washington. He is Professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis where he teaches creative writing. In addition to the Pulitzer, he has won many other awards. In 1990 he accepted his identity as a gay man. He said “he rediscovered his poetic voice.”

Krauss, who has two books of poetry published, Borrowed Scenery and Through the Trees of Autumn, has recently retired from teaching English at Fairfield University.

To register, visit the Wilton Library website.