Thursday, April 2, 2009
A Reading with Slam Poetry Scholar Susan Somers-Willett
Susan Somers-Willett (M.A. English, ‘98; Ph.D. English, ‘03) will read as part of the Michener Center for Writers’ spring series at 7:30 p.m., April 2, in the Avaya Auditorium (ACES 2.302).
Somers-Willett has earned praise not only for her poetry collections, “Roam” (2006) and “Quiver” (2009), but also as a scholar of the slam poetry phenomenon.
A veteran spoken word performer, she is the author of “The Cultural Politics of Slam Poetry: Race, Identity, and the Performance of Popular Verse in America” (University of Michigan Press, 2009), a groundbreaking critical examination of slam and its impact on the academy.
A poetry slam is a competitive event where poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Learn more about slam poetry events in Austin at www.austinslam.com.
