Spring Break
Poetry reading brings new sounds
Second annual event features different languages as changeup to university's English Fest
Claudia Lozano
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: News
Ten years ago, Audrey Fessler, assistant professor of English and women's studies, and her husband Jeff Vahlbusch, associate professor of foreign languages, had a dream - to start an international poetry reading event at a university where they could both teach and get settled. Previously they had participated in one while teaching at Washington College in Maryland, which sparked the idea.
Now, the International Poetry Night, in its second year on the UW-Eau Claire campus, is a night to hear poems in different languages. The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Council Fire room in Davies Center. Fessler said she hopes to build this event slowly and steadily year after year.
"We were so pleased and excited and honored by how many people came last year," she said.
This year the Poetry Night will be one of the introductory events for the English Fest, featuring 34 different languages, some of which will have more than one speaker. The only language that won't be heard is modern English.
"We thought the (English) Fest would be an excellent venue, since its focus is so often on literature and literary expression of ideas," Fessler said. "The English Fest staffs were extremely supportive and enthusiastic."
Karl Markgraf, director of international education, said the role of the Center for International Education is to promote the event and give financial support, and all the effort was from Fessler and Vahlbush to put it together, which he thinks was a good idea.
"Humanity has the ability to speak … so (the event) is about sharing that richness, different voices, different sounds," he said.
The event will also have booklets, in which all poems are arranged alphabetically with a 'facing page translation' so people will be able to see the poem in its original language on one side and the English translated version on the other.
Art and design lecturer Joseph Costa said when he attended last year he didn't know what to expect, but that it was a pleasant experience.
Now, the International Poetry Night, in its second year on the UW-Eau Claire campus, is a night to hear poems in different languages. The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Council Fire room in Davies Center. Fessler said she hopes to build this event slowly and steadily year after year.
"We were so pleased and excited and honored by how many people came last year," she said.
This year the Poetry Night will be one of the introductory events for the English Fest, featuring 34 different languages, some of which will have more than one speaker. The only language that won't be heard is modern English.
"We thought the (English) Fest would be an excellent venue, since its focus is so often on literature and literary expression of ideas," Fessler said. "The English Fest staffs were extremely supportive and enthusiastic."
Karl Markgraf, director of international education, said the role of the Center for International Education is to promote the event and give financial support, and all the effort was from Fessler and Vahlbush to put it together, which he thinks was a good idea.
"Humanity has the ability to speak … so (the event) is about sharing that richness, different voices, different sounds," he said.
The event will also have booklets, in which all poems are arranged alphabetically with a 'facing page translation' so people will be able to see the poem in its original language on one side and the English translated version on the other.
Art and design lecturer Joseph Costa said when he attended last year he didn't know what to expect, but that it was a pleasant experience.
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