<i>Delights & Shadows</i><br>U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser Visits Westminster

Like a warm welcoming wind from the prairie, United States Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Ted Kooser swept onto the Hill with stories of ordinary people and things that he has developed into beautiful and poignant poetry. He is the sixth poet selected to speak at the Westminster Poetry Series, which was inaugurated in 1999 to support the English Department's commitment to the study of poetry by living writers.

Prior to his reading, Mr. Kooser was honored with a special presentation by the Westminster Chamber Choir singing "Something is Calling to Me," one of Mr. Kooser's poems set to music by Westminster student Andrew Kim '07. Andrew said that he was especially moved by the poem and hoped that composing a musical tribute would honor Mr. Kooser's poetry.

Mr. Kooser, who lives in a small town in Nebraska, immediately connected to the audience of students, faculty, and guests in Werner Centennial Theater with his friendly demeanor and comment that he has not been puffed up about becoming Poet Laureate since he was told by a six year old that he looks like a Hobbit.

The Blizzard Voices

He began by reading several of his poems about the infamous Blizzard of 1888 that devastated the prairie states. He noted that The Blizzard Voices reflects the heroism of the human spirit, and added that 1888 was the same year that Westminster was founded. The poems were based on remembrances that he had overheard when he was young, of people who had survived the famous blizzard.

He drew the listener's attention to the 'single concrete images' of animals running in crazy circles before the storm, wind rocking a house like a cradle, and drifts of snow that lasted till June, that stayed in people's minds, even after more than 70 years.

Mr. Kooser conveyed to the audience that he likes to look at the ordinary world and give it extra light through his poetry. "I write poems that dogs and cats can read - that are open and accessible," he explained. "I write from my own personal experiences. It may be someone that I've heard, or something that I have observed. I like to be a fly on the wall. My poems are rarely about me."

Poet Laureate

This is the second time in five years that Westminster School has hosted a United States Poet Laureate. Billy Collins came to Westminster in 2002, the first year of his two-year stint as U. S. Poet Laureate. Mr. Kooser is also a two-time Poet Laureate who was first named in 2004, and again honored in 2005. In addition, he won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for his collection Delights and Shadows.

Day 2: Talking Poetry with Students

The second day of the Poetry Series, Mr. Kooser visited personally with the students in Lounsbury Auditorium. He said he was "prepared for the slings and arrows" that he expected from the Westminster students, who have been reading his poetry since early fall. This year students are reading Kooser's Sure Signs, Weather Central, Flying at Night, and Delights & Shadows. And the students were ready with plenty of questions.

Mr. Kooser shared much of his life story and how it has affected his writing style. He said that he has been writing poetry since he was 16. "I wasn't really talented in anything in high school, so I tried to be mysterious and fascinating by writing poetry, Pretty soon I started reading poems and became hooked, and I never stopped reading and writing," he revealed. He said that he dropped out of graduate school and took a job with an insurance company, where he eventually rose to become vice president, - "because I could write complete sentences." But he never stopped writing poetry.

On Writing Poetry

"Writing poetry has become my consuming interest. I like to rise at 4:30 a.m. and enjoy the quiet time to write." He added that he writes every day, but throws out most of what he writes. "Sometimes something catches my eye and I don't know why, but when I take the time to tinker with the thought and develop it, then I begin to understand what it is that attracted me." He also admitted that his poetry has changed over the years. "I'm like a master craftsman in any field. It takes lots of hours and experience to perfect your craft well."

Mr. Kooser said that there's a tremendous amount of poetry being written, but he feared that not enough was being read. He related that many poets write to literary critics instead of general audiences. "Too many people are afraid of poetry. We need to extend ourselves to our readers," he added.

Since retiring from his insurance job six years ago, Mr. Kooser has become even more prolific, publishing three new books in the last three years alone. He lives on 64 acres of woods and hills in Garland, Nebraska with his wife Kathleen Rutledge (editor of The Lincoln Journal Star). As the Poet Laureate, he is determined to spread poetry to ordinary people.

He writes a weekly column for newspapers (through the aegis of the American Life in Poetry Project which is sponsored by the Poetry Foundation, the Library of Congress, and the University of Nebraska English Department). The column presents a poem by a contemporary writer along with a brief introduction from Kooser. Westminster School is honored to add Ted Kooser's name to the list of Westminster Poets.