Landing a Poet Laureate: choosing, designing the event

Last year, the Academy was fortunate enough to host W.S. Merwin, the current U.S. Poet Laureate, and after much effort and planning, has the opportunity to welcome Billy Collins this fall.

“We landed on Collins because he’s engaging and warm, and we knew that he’d hit it out of the park. Also, he shares an agent with previous guest, W.S. Merwin, making arrangements much easier,” English teacher Heather Liske said.

Head of School Margarita Curtis said Mr. Collins’s visit will launch the year in a thoughtful and reflective tone.

“Poetry is a good antidote to the life we live here, which is very task and goal oriented,” she said. “Poetry is a balancing element; it’s almost like a deep breath.”

Madeline Moon ’16 said, “It’s a great honor to have him on campus, and during the Q&A session, students will be able to take advantage and ask questions about him and writing as a career. Many will see writing in a different way and start to appreciate it a way they’ve never have before.”