"To Get the News From Poems": Poetry in Response to Current Events
Category: Event Calendar
Date and Time
- Saturday, May 9, 2026 1pm - 5pm
Location
WriterHouse, 508 Dale Ave., Charlottesville, VA 22903
Details
In “Asphodel, That Greeny Flower,” William Carlos Williams wrote, “It is difficult/ to get the news from poems/ yet men die miserably every/ day/ for lack/ of what is found there.” Though poetry might not be where one looks for the news, many contemporary poets use what is happening around us as inspiration and impetus for their writing. In this one-day seminar, we will look at how poems can address the issues and events of our time. Though the focus of the class will be on work shared by seminar members, we will also discuss poems by other writers. We’ll use the term “current events” rather broadly, including poems that address national and international events from recent decades.