The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

INTERNATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED POET READS AT CSUSM

KYLE M. JOHNSON
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

Poet Clayton Eshleman was featured as the last part of the fall semester’s Community and World Literary Series (CWLS) on Thursday.

Professor Mark Wallace introduced Eshleman with much praise as having been at the heart of American poetry since the early 1960s.

Eshleman has contributed to the literary world through his own poetic production and the translating of poems from poets Cesar Vallejo, Pablo Neruda and Henri Michaux.

Eshleman took the stage and announced that he would be reading nine poems from his book “Anticline,” the fi rst poem a recounting of an experience he and his wife had in Italy.

Following the first poem, he shared that he has been translating poetry as long as he has been reading and writing it.

Between poems, Eshleman would often share anecdotes and personal trivia which gave the audience a perspective into his nature as a writer.

“I write a lot of poems about art or artists,” he said, sharing how if he had been turned to the left or right, he would have been a painter.

Eshleman’s reading of his poetry often felt conversational, especially in the literal sense during his last reading, a dialogue between himself and the artist Max Ernst. His imagery, at times graphic, led to much laughter in the audience, as well as the occasional audible “Wow!” Even Eshleman laughed through some his own words as he read.

During the Questions and Answers portion, topics approached included when Eshleman started writing, his view of surrealism, thoughts on the future of publishing houses in the internet age and the importance and influence of travel.

Dr. Wallace, who headed the series, felt that this semester’s CWLS was beneficial for students because he brought in writers who are challenging for students, pushing students away from their normal literary exposure.

The CWLS will begin again in the spring semester.

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