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2011 Poetry Day at the Carnegie Museum

a man wearing glasses and a purple sweater
Professor of English and poet Marc Hudson and four students from his advanced poetry course celebrated the last day of National Poetry Month with a visit to Crawfordsville's Carnegie Museum. More than 80 local residents and students from elementary schools and all three county high schools attended this first-ever "Poetry Day" at the museum, enjoying the chance to hear poetry read aloud and to try their own hands at writing poems of their own. "We are so glad that the Wabash students and Professor Hudson were willing to partner with us on the event," said museum director Kat Burkhart. "We were very pleased by the turnout and by the interaction between the presenters and their audience, and the breakout tables were really good for the
younger crowds especially, although I am sure all ages enjoyed them." In the photo above, Josh Bolton ’11 reads a poem he wrote specifically for the occasion.       

a man and woman standing in front of a group of people

Museum Director Kat Burkhart introduces Professor Hudson.
"It was important to celebrate Poetry Month at the CMMC for many reasons," Burkhart said. "The mission of the Carnegie Museum includes promotion and public appreciation of arts, history and culture. And the Museum, located in Indiana's first Carnegie library building, is now an interdisciplinary museum.
"So poetry fits well into the museum's mission, and can represent many other disciplines. All academic disciplines and people of all ages can appreciate poetry and its relevance."
 

a group of people sitting on the floor

Professor Hudson starts things off by asking students and visitors for their own definition of poetry.
"I was greatly pleased by the turn out," Hudson said. "There were youngsters from all three country school districts and from elementary schools, as well as moms, dads, grandparents, and several adults sans kids, all there to hear poetry and try their hands at writing some." 

a man writing on a piece of paper
Liam Smith ’13 forgot to bring the poem he had planned to read aloud, so he rewrote it from memory just before the event!

a man standing in front of a podium with his arms out

 "The younger poets and I had a good time, and from all appearances our audience did, too," Hudson said. "I think we all especially enjoyed working at our individual tables with those youngsters and adults who wanted to write some poems.
"One of my favorite moments was my reading of "The Jabberwock," accompanied by a spirited performance of the poem by Adam Current (the Jabberwock) and Liam Smith (the Jabberwock hunter).
"Joshua Bolton, for his part, wrote a hip hop poem on the spot for the kids. And Will McDonough read well from his long narrative poem. We all enjoyed ourselves."

a man sitting in a chair

Scott Hemmerlein listens to Hudson's reading of W.B. Yeats' "The Lake Isle of Innisfree."

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Joshua Bolton's humorous poem for kids got some laughs from the audience. 

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Some students stopped by on their way to other activities!

a man writing on a piece of paper

Josh Bolton creates a poem on the spot!

a man standing in front of a display case

Professor Hudson demonstrated the musical nature of poetry by singing the English folksong "John Barleycorn" beneath the basketball jerseys that decorate some of the museum's walls.

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