Kwon discusses poetry that triggers emotion
CHADRON -- Tuesday at the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center, Dr. Haesong Kwon’s presentation, “Poems that Can Drive a Fully Grown Human to Sob Uncontrollably,” covered poetry, human expression, and culture. It was the second of three lectures in the Graves Series this fall.
Beginning with clips from the movies An Officer and a Gentleman and Remains of the Day, Kwon, an Assistant Professor of English at CSC, explained the importance of crying and emotion in the arts. Showing scenes about grief, love, and shame, Kwon encouraged the audience to think about what each reader brings to the poem.
Later, several of his writing students read poems about various topics, including feminism, self-awareness, and identity. Kwon said he wanted to present pieces that had both cultural and personal significance, choosing authors like Tess Gallagher, Ishle Yi Park, and Dudley Randall to highlight relatable experiences through diverse voices. He then spoke in detail about his identity as a Korean American poet and teacher and how it has impacted his career.
“We come to poems to find human truth,” Kwon said.
Category: Campus News, Graves Lecture Series