Proposal Title
Poetry of Witness: To Elevate a Sense of Humanity
Abstract
In times of rapid change or collective trauma, people from different disciplines may turn to poetry for a different sense of understanding, or a re-orientation to the changes taking place in the human condition. Trauma can be perceived in fragmented intelligence until the unfathomable is explored in words, and then the mysterious is unlocked in letters and the experience no longer remains beyond language. Witness poetry is a rich tradition of this kind of exploration, where writers of witness create art that engenders a sense of humanity, even in the face of inhumane circumstances. Poems can shine a new light on particular forms of injustice, or give a new articulation to emotions of confusion, empathy, or rage. The members of this panel will discuss the process of bearing witness through poetry, through close readings of some of the significant poets in this canon, and also in sharing some of their own work.
Start Date
28-3-2018 5:40 PM
End Date
28-3-2018 6:30 PM
Presentation Type
Panel
Disciplines
Poetry
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Poetry of Witness: To Elevate a Sense of Humanity
U-Hall 3-089
In times of rapid change or collective trauma, people from different disciplines may turn to poetry for a different sense of understanding, or a re-orientation to the changes taking place in the human condition. Trauma can be perceived in fragmented intelligence until the unfathomable is explored in words, and then the mysterious is unlocked in letters and the experience no longer remains beyond language. Witness poetry is a rich tradition of this kind of exploration, where writers of witness create art that engenders a sense of humanity, even in the face of inhumane circumstances. Poems can shine a new light on particular forms of injustice, or give a new articulation to emotions of confusion, empathy, or rage. The members of this panel will discuss the process of bearing witness through poetry, through close readings of some of the significant poets in this canon, and also in sharing some of their own work.
