Reading the meaning of love
Doctoral candidate Kathy Lou Schultz, read poetry at the Kelly Writers House as part of a Valentine's Day event on the poetry of romance.
The Daily Pennsylvanian
February 15, 2001
One-upping the "Roses are Red" jingles circulating around campus yesterday, the Kelly Writers House commemorated Valentine's Day with real poetry. Yesterday afternoon, it hosted "Loved Poems and Poems about Love," a reading and discussion oriented toward the intersection of love and poetry. About 40 students and faculty members attended. said English Professor Max Cavitch, who introduced the event and served as a moderator for the discussion. He explained how the reading was intended to "whet [the audience's] appetite and desire for love."
The event was composed of a panel of eight established writers, including Penn faculty and staff members Herman Beavers, Greg Djanikian, Bob Perelman, Kathy Lou Schultz and Susan Stewart. In addition, Houston writer Edward Hirsch made a guest appearance, along with employees of WHYY and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The participants began by reading their favorite love poems, offering a diverse mix of poetry to the audience.
Poets represented ranged from John Donne and Emily Dickenson to Rihaku and Li Po.
Djanikian, who is the English Department's Creative Writing Program director, serenaded the audience with Pablo Neruda's "Love Poem No. 44," a work that Djanikian said influenced him when he was writing his own poems.
"The love vibrates and zings between two polarities in this poem," he said, describing the close proximity of love and hate that Neruda addresses.
In contrast to the more stereotypical love poems shared, Perelman, who is associate chairman of the English Department, chose to read "Cornkind" by Frank O'Hara to "tease the whole notion of love and how corny love poetry can be."
O'Hara, a homosexual who could not reveal his sexuality publicly, used poetry to "fight his way out of the agony of being confined socially," Perelman said.
Following the reading, the guests led a conversation with the audience about love in literature.
The discussion allowed both the attendees and the speakers to ruminate over what constitutes a love poem.
"A good love poem is going to be a little ruthless," Hirsch noted. "It carries a piece of information that can't be gotten elsewhere, breaking the boundaries of what we consider to be socially acceptable."
Audience members said they enjoyed the event, agreeing that "Loved Poems and Poems about Love" was an excellent way to celebrate Valentine's Day.
"It provided a good perspective on love and love poetry, along with the motivation behind it," Engineering junior Osamah Saeedi said.
"We want to examine what love poetry can do for our psyche, relationships and community,"