Sixteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Poems that first appear in non-literary publications (for example, in newspapers) can have a wider reach than those first published in traditional book, pamphlet, or specialist magazine form. In this paper, I explore how students in lifelong learning/continuing education settings respond to poems initially published outside traditional literary arenas (“public” poems), and in particular, poems that confront, or reflect upon, topical concerns or national events (for instance, a royal wedding, a political election, a natural disaster or international conflict). I further consider the role fictive poetry, as opposed factual reporting, can play in generating a “safe” space for discourse about challenging topics. The experience of reading poetry collectively in an educational setting, both silently and aloud, differs from reading poetry alone in a less formal environment. I explore the extent to which lifelong learning students’ particularly rich and diverse range of life experiences feeds and influences their appreciation, commentary, and discussion of the poems.