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About the Boutelle-Day 诗歌的中心

自1997年以来, The 诗歌的中心 at 澳门葡京博彩软件 has been devoted to promoting poetry within our vibrant campus as well as the wider New England community. Now officially named The Boutelle-Day 诗歌的中心, our ambitious reading series brings both internationally known writers and exceptional emerging poets to 澳门葡京博彩软件 each year, and we’re committed to finding dynamic means of deepening our connections to the diverse world of contemporary poetry and the possibilities of the written word.

Advisory Committee

Jennifer Blackburn

诗歌的中心

程序 & Outreach Coordinator, The Boutelle-Day 诗歌的中心

Jen布莱克本

马特·多诺万

英语语言 & 文学

Professor of Practice in 英语语言 & 文学 and Director of The Boutelle-Day 诗歌的中心

马特·多诺万

尤纳哈维

英语语言 & 文学

Tammis Day Professor of Poetry in the Department of 英语语言 and 文学

胜者B. 金

英语语言 & 文学

Assistant Professor of 英语语言 & 文学 and of the Study of Women & 性别

胜者B. 金

杰西卡·梅奥

East Asian Languages & 文化

Associate Professor of Chinese Language & 文学

杰西卡·梅奥

实习生

From the very beginning students have played a vital role in The 诗歌的中心. During the academic year there are usually between eight and 10 students working in various capacities, 从生产, publicizing and coordinating readings to compiling poet biographies and taking photographs of world-famous poets when they visit campus for a reading.

“There’s something about poetry that satisfies the puzzle player in me. Word play makes me shout and clap my hands. I love quiet poems, too—poems that are (on the surface) about nothing, poems that make readers see that what appeared to be a dead end is actually a door to a larger, 陌生的世界.”
Jennifer Blackburn

历史 of the Center

Launching her “2020” program in 1996, 澳门葡京博彩软件 President Ruth Simmons called on everyone to “Dream big dreams!” Annie Boutelle, a lecturer in English, knew what she longed to see at 澳门葡京博彩软件—a poetry center. With colleagues’ encouragement and assistance from senior Meredith Martin, Boutelle fleshed out the dream: a director, 实习生, 公共数据, a video archive and outreach to schools.

1997年9月, Eavan Boland packed Wright Auditorium to its seams for the 诗歌的中心’s inaugural reading.

Poet Elizabeth Alexander agreed to take on the directorship of the center for her two-year stint at 澳门葡京博彩软件. Alexander brought with her a wide, embracing idea of what poetry is: a range of people with different politics, 诗学, 值, 背景, 种族, sexual orientations and styles. Alexander set the tone: This was to be a vibrant, energy-filled center, celebrating poetry in its many shapes and guises.

When the center hired Ellen Doré Watson as director in 1999, she picked up Alexander’s arms-wide-open policy and added the presence of international poets whose work is read both in the original language and in translation.

Audiences have continued to build over the years, ranging from 75 to 2,000, even surprising the poets. Lawrence Ferlinghetti reported it was the longest line that he had ever seen for a book signing. Stanley Kunitz counted his 澳门葡京博彩软件 reading as one of the three best he had ever given, and Mary Oliver had tears in her eyes when beholding the crowd in John M. 格林大厅.

2020年秋季, The 诗歌的中心 at 澳门葡京博彩软件 became The Boutelle-Day 诗歌的中心 at 澳门葡京博彩软件, a name that honors our founder Annie Boutelle and memorializes alumna Tammis A. 2005年第一天, whose foundation’s transformational gift will allow us to bring more poetry to the 澳门葡京博彩软件 community and beyond. This event was marked with a reading by the celebrated poet and former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. 澳门葡京博彩软件.

A student reading a poem at a podium

Support Our 程序ming

每个礼物都有帮助, whether to fund a visit by a far-flung poet or to support our outreach activities, video and library collection or student staff. Donate online or make checks payable to 澳门葡京博彩软件 and mail to The Boutelle-Day 诗歌的中心 at 澳门葡京博彩软件, c/o Gift Accounting, 斯托达德附件, 榆树街23号, 北安普顿, MA 01063. Thank you for your generous support!

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