UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — More than 180 contemporary poets have contributed poems to the new book "Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania," a landmark volume commemorating the hometowns, history, traditions and culture of the Commonwealth. Co-editors Marjorie Maddox and Jerry Wemple will join many of the contributors in various events across the state to celebrate the book’s May 20 publication by Penn State University Press.
Organized geographically, the poems traverse county lines, ancestral lineages and thematic concerns — as well as gender, racial and socioeconomic barriers.
“The great thing about this collection is that it allows readers to discover new voices and new places in Pennsylvania, and well as get reacquainted with familiar poets and what they have to say about the Keystone State,” said Wemple, an award-winning author and professor of English at Commonwealth University. “It really is amazing how many wonderful poets call Pennsylvania home.”
“Pennsylvania brims with stunning poets who write about where they live,” agreed Maddox, professor emerita of English at Commonwealth University and host of WPSU’s "Poetry Moment." “It’s a joy to gift their work to you: readers, writers, teachers and fellow lovers of the Keystone State. To learn even more about this diverse, inspiring state we share, read their words."
"Keystone Poetry" also includes teacher resources that use students’ hometown experiences to make disciplines such as literature, creative writing, history and political science more engaging and accessible. Maddox and Wemple, joined by many of the contributing poets, will launch the book with readings this summer and autumn across the state. These include a launch event on Friday, May 23, at the Print Factory, a nonprofit independent bookstore and cultural space in Bellefonte; a reading at the Free Library of Philadelphia on June 17; and a workshop and book discussion in Foster Auditorium on the University Park campus on September 12; organized in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Center for the Book and the Penn State Department of English.
"Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania" will be published by Penn State University Press on May 20th. To learn more and to see the full list of events celebrating the book, visit psupress.org.