On Thursday the 27th I attended the Pulitzer Prize Centennial Poetry Celebration, sponsored by the PSA. Each of the poets read a poem by a favorite deceased poet, and then one or two of his or her own. I just closed my eyes and took in the beauty of the language. What a remarkable experience to hear, for example, Gregory Pardlo read Galway Kinnell's "First Song", or Vijay Seshardi read Richard Wilbur's "The Pardon." I cried when Carl Dennis read Philip Levine's "Spanish Lesson," since Levine has always been one of my favorite poets. What a treat to hear Yusef Komunyaka, Sharon Olds, Charles Wright, Natasha Trethaway read their work, and simply revel in all the loveliness of poetry. And what an escape, too, to celebrate the joy of poetry, especially in today's world when so much negativity is circulating. What is poetry? Positive energy, and it felt so good to be immersed in this!
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