By Aaron Calvin, Assistant Entertainment Editor
Stephen Dunn returned to his alma mater today, but for a different reason than most return to Hofstra: he came to read and discuss his Pulitzer Prize winning poetry.
Dunn graduated in 1962 from Hofstra with a degree in History, but also spent a large amount of time on the basketball court. Both of these experiences can be found incorporated into his poetry.
The author of sixteen books of poetry read varied selections from his sizable archive of works, but started off with his a poem about the democratic process, fitting for the day after elections. Ever mindful of his audience, Dunn continued with a poem about "Facebook People," or "people with too many friends that are really acquaintances."
The poet also read older selections that addressed his attempt to find a job after graduating Hofstra, saying that getting a degree in History was a "ticket to unemployment, but it was a noble one." He eventually got a job with an advertisement agency, but eventually decided to quit, a thought process he chronicles in his poem "Last Hours."
The influence of sports showed through in his poetry as well. In "Competition," he addressed his experiences with people in competitive sports, through which he realized that "competitions reveal who a person is pretty quickly." Proving that his enjoyment of sports extends beyond basketball, but can also connect to a more literary crowd, his poem "World Series" addresses the 1983 World Series and the relationship between two Philadelphia Philly's players.
Throughout his reading, his poetry covered a wide range of topics pertaining to the time of day you're most likely to get in trouble, the most overused words and language. The lilting, baritone timbre of his voice and the subtle humor he incorporated in his poems brought to mind fellow New England poet Donald Hall. Dunn ended with the reading with a poem addressed to his eulogists, asking them to remember him honestly. The poem seemed appropriate to end on, as Dunn first learned his concern for how history remembers at Hofstra.
Following the reading was a question an answer session. When asked what his writing process is like, Dunn answered: "It happens in various ways. Something nagging or ambiguous in a phrase. I find that my best poems just find themselves as they go." When asked why started writing poetry, he glibly stated "it was a way to impress girls."
The next writer in the "Great Writers, Great Readings" series is Thomas Lynch, a celebrated author and undertaker and winner of the American Book Award. He will be reading on November 17 at 11:15 a.m. on the tenth floor of the library.
(Photo Courtesy of Ginny Greenberg)