Illinois Poet Laureate to speak at Batavia library
Daily Herald report
Illinois Poet Laureate Kevin Stein will speak at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. Stein will speak at noon at Books Between Bites and again at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 10.
Stein’s visit is the main event of this year’s One Book, One Batavia series of programs celebrating poetry and poets. The One Book, One Batavia 2011 selection is “Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry,” edited by former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins.
During his Books Between Bites presentation, Stein will refute commentators’ position on poetry’s supposed “death” and will illustrate that poetry is very much alive and well, in schools and online in new digital forms.
During his evening talk, Stein will explain poetry’s public functions and his role as poet laureate, and read from his own work. A book-signing will follow both of Stein’s presentations.
Illinois Poet Laureate since 2003, Stein is the author of seven poetry collections, three scholarly books, and numerous published poems and essays. In 2007, Stein edited “Bread & Steel,” the first audio CD poetry anthology of 24 Illinois poets reading from their works.
Stein currently serves as Caterpillar Professor of English and director of the Creative Writing Program at Bradley University. He holds a Ph.D. in American Literature and a masters in creative writing from Indiana University.
Free tickets are required for the evening presentation. Call (630) 879-1393 (select option 2) to reserve tickets or stop by the reference desk. No ticket or reservation is required for Books Between Bites.
In addition to Stein’s visit, the library invites the public to other One Book, One Batavia events during March: “The Ghosts of Edgar Allan Poe,” featuring poet and professional storyteller Brian “Fox” Ellis, at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 13; a poetry workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15; and a poetry open mic at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 20.
For more information regarding these programs, “Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry,” and Kevin Stein, visit OneBookOneBatavia.org.
One Book, One Batavia is an annual communitywide reading program presented by the Batavia Public Library in cooperation with Batavia High School and is sponsored by the Friends of the Batavia Public Library.