(I could go on for days.)Ĭould you describe the cultural and literary community in Burlington, and any differences or similarities to what you’ve seen in the Washington area. Wayne Shorter, Anne Sexton, William Carlos Williams, William Parker, Amiri Baraka, Paul Blackburn, Ornette Coleman, Marcus Miller, Julia Fields, Major Jackson. Believe it or not, high school students are often more willing to write, say, a sonnet in praise of the young man/young woman whose presence sets their hearts aflutter than older, more guarded bards.Ĭould you talk a bit about some of the poets and composers who have influenced you. (I am thinking of form here.) As a teacher, I constantly find the use of form in poetry introduces writers to aspects of their craft they may be less familiar with. Both provide numerous routes to their respective destinations.
(RJ): As far as poetry /music connections are concerned, well, I consider both genres gateways to possibility. Can you talk a bit about how you see these forms feeding each other, and also about your music program on Vermont Public Radio. You’re known both for your poetry and your love of music, and you’ve often brought the two together in your poetry workshops. It is a joy and a challenge getting students to introduce themselves to their way of thinking-especially in this test-heavy academic environment. Teaching is draining as all get out, but I like it a great deal. Of course, these students are, as said students like to say, way more tech savvy than I would have been at their age-or am now, for that matter. (Ok, that's three words.) What I mean is that I constantly run into (and/or teach) younger versions of the friends I had in high school-not to mention students interested in worlds and ideas beyond the "norm." In other words, students I consider younger relatives-literary and musical soulmates. (RJ): If I had to sum up my experiences as a high school English teacher in Burlington, Vermont, I would borrow two words from an essay by Amiri Baraka: The Changing Same. He worked for several years as an archivist in the Smithsonian Institute’s Duke Ellington collection, and he now hosts a music program on Vermont Public Radio.Īs a long-time workshop leader in DC, can you talk a bit about your experience now teaching high school students in Burlington, Vermont? Reuben’s long-running poetry workshop, A World Bold as Love, was titled for a Jimi Hendrix song. Today we’re glad to post news from Reuben Jackson, a native Washingtonian who now teaches high school in Burlington, Vermont. His return visit got me thinking about former workshop leaders who have left the area but remain active in their literary community. Richard burst onto the national spotlight earlier this year when he was selected to read a poem at President Obama’s inauguration. Richard’s publisher had contacted us to say that he was hoping to read from his new collection of poems at the Center, where he had been a very popular workshop leader before moving several years ago. As some of you know, Richard Blanco will return to the Washington area this spring, and we’ll host his poetry reading with Dan Vera here at The Writer’s Center on Saturday, May 18.