By: Rachael Jackson Staff Writer
Christopher DeWeese, Assistant Professor of Poetry at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, visited campus Thursday, Nov. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in Hamersly Library 107.
He read genre-bending poetry sure to evoke curiosity from those that attended.
DeWeese originally hails from Port Townsend, Washington, but he has spent the better part of this last decade teaching and working on his poetry all over the country.
Professor of Literature and Writing Dr. Henry Hughes said in an email to students that DeWeese is, “Influenced by Russian literature and space travel, and he reads like a meteor shower.”
His poetry is reminiscent of Transcendentalism, a mid-19th century American movement which focused on the interconnectivity of nature and man, with a modern twist that delves into the realm of science fiction.
DeWeese’s poem “The Happy Cloud” with accompanying author’s reading can be found on publisher Jubliat’s website.
Reading DeWeese’s poetry and hearing it are two wholly different experiences, through which different meanings can be gathered.
At first, “The Happy Cloud” may seem like a poem about the separate state of humans and nature, portraying humankind as being in constant battle against Mother Nature.
Hearing him read it also evokes dark worries of humanity’s place in the world, and, on a smaller scale, the individual’s personal struggles and worldview.
DeWeese’s writing shows the ability of poetry to cross genres just as prose often does. Even for seasoned poetry lovers, this poetry promises something unexpected and modern.
His poetry fulfills a niche that many may be interested in exploring.
