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PITTSBURG —
Poet Allison Joseph will present a free public reading from her work at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Governors Room of the Overman Student Center, Pittsburg State University.
Her appearance is part of the PSU Distinguished Visiting Writers Series, which is sponsored by the PSU English department and the Student Fee Council.
Joseph is the author of six poetry collections, including “What Keeps Us Here” and “My Father’s Kites.” She is also poetry editor of the “Crab Orchard Review” and director of the master of fine arts program at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
In 2012 she was awarded the George Garrett Award for Outstanding Community Service in Literature by the Association of Writers and Writers Programs.
In her remarks on receiving this award, Joseph said, “I realize how hard it is, particularly for a young writer, to announced to the world ‘I’m a writer’ or even worse, ‘I’m a poet’ — the snickers and guffaws that often follow such statements are hard to handle.”
She noted that “every writer needs a sustaining force, a mentor, that one person who believes in your potential before your potential even exists. Let us treasure the mentors we have in our own lives, those voices who say ‘yes’ when everyone else has said ‘no’. Let us treasure them, and when we are strong and able, let us become them.”
“We’re really excited to have Allison Joseph visiting the campus,” said Lowell Mick White, assistant professor in the PSU English department. “She’s a fine, fine poet and an inspiration to young writers everywhere.”
Following the reading will be a reception in the Heritage Room of the student center. Joseph’s books will be available for purchase there.
Poet Allison Joseph will present a free public reading from her work at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Governors Room of the Overman Student Center, Pittsburg State University.
Her appearance is part of the PSU Distinguished Visiting Writers Series, which is sponsored by the PSU English department and the Student Fee Council.
Joseph is the author of six poetry collections, including “What Keeps Us Here” and “My Father’s Kites.” She is also poetry editor of the “Crab Orchard Review” and director of the master of fine arts program at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
In 2012 she was awarded the George Garrett Award for Outstanding Community Service in Literature by the Association of Writers and Writers Programs.
In her remarks on receiving this award, Joseph said, “I realize how hard it is, particularly for a young writer, to announced to the world ‘I’m a writer’ or even worse, ‘I’m a poet’ — the snickers and guffaws that often follow such statements are hard to handle.”
She noted that “every writer needs a sustaining force, a mentor, that one person who believes in your potential before your potential even exists. Let us treasure the mentors we have in our own lives, those voices who say ‘yes’ when everyone else has said ‘no’. Let us treasure them, and when we are strong and able, let us become them.”
“We’re really excited to have Allison Joseph visiting the campus,” said Lowell Mick White, assistant professor in the PSU English department. “She’s a fine, fine poet and an inspiration to young writers everywhere.”
Following the reading will be a reception in the Heritage Room of the student center. Joseph’s books will be available for purchase there.
