Poetry Writing Week, held last week, invited participants into the world of composing verse.
The idea sprouted from the head of Bob Dickerson, an English and literature teacher at De Anza College. Dickerson wanted to remind people how great poetry is, as well as to laugh, have fun and be crazy.
“Reading a poem is like living,” said Dickerson. “I always wanted to live my life as passionately as I could, and poetry is one way to do that. I want other people to experience that, too.”
The four day event was open to all of De Anza’s faculty, staff and students. Each day offered a selection of prompts, tricks and exercises meant to kick start the muse into action. By the end of the fourth day of the event, participants were to have written a total of eight poems.
Dickerson has always been a lover of poetry and claims to have written his first poem in diapers, while in his playpen. His mother loved it, but he’s still trying to decide whether or not to publish it, he said.
Poems written during poetry writing week were submitted to Dickerson and his committee of very important people, who will award prizes to the two poets who created the best collection of poems.
Victoria Eusebio, a business major who participated in the event, had very little prior experience with poetry.
“Whenever I think of poetry, I think of Shakespeare, something I don’t understand. But when I think back to the [poetry] recitations I had to do in middle school, they were kind of fun and funny,” said Eusebio. “I just want to see what my hidden potentials are, if I can write a poem myself.”
Poetry Writing Week is the third poetry event held this year in the Writing and Reading Center. In October, the center cel- ebrated Sylvia Plath’s birthday, and in February, they celebrated Langston Hughes’ birthday.
Ken Weisner, instructor for Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine, said that these poetry events are “a step in learning more than just the basics of writing, punctuation, spelling [and] grammar. It’s a way to learn to love the language and writing in general.” Both Dickerson and Weisner hope that Poetry Writing Week will become an annual event.
“Poetry … is the only thing in the world that can save us from all the darkness and despair and emptiness,” said Dickerson. “Other than maybe a long weekend in Vegas with Scarlett Johansson.”
