APPLETON, WIS. — Poet Elizabeth Robinson, a three-time recipient of the Gertrude Stein Award for Innovative American Poetry, conducts a reading of her works Tuesday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Wriston Art Center auditorium. A book signing and reception with the author will follow the reading.
Prior to the reading, Robinson will field questions in an open forum at 4:30 p.m. in Lawrence’s Main Hall, Room 104. Both events are free and open to the public.
The author of eight collections of poems, Robinson’s most recent work, “Under That Silky Roof” (2006), explores the interplay of domestic life, focusing on topics such as companionship, its fecundity and its losses. Robinson also ventures into the manifestations of the abstract, what she calls “the brick floor from which the kingdom of God extends or could extend.”
Two of her more recent titles, “Apprehend” (2003) and “Pure Descent” (2003), were recognized with the Fence Modern Poetry Series award and the National Poetry Series award, respectively.
Her works have appeared in the Colorado Review, the Denver Quarterly and New American Quarterly, among others. Her writing also has been featured in numerous anthologies including Writing from the New Coast, Poetes Americains and American Poetry: The Next Generation. In addition to writing, Robinson serves as co-editor of 26, a magazine of poetry and poetics and EtherDome Press, which publishes chapbooks by emerging women poets.
Robinson earned a bachelor’s degree from Bard College, a master’s degree in creative writing from Brown University, a master’s degree in religious studies and a master’s degree in ethics, both from the Pacific School of Religion.
She has taught at the University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University and is currently an assistant professor of English at the University of Colorado.
Robinson’s appearance is sponsored by the Mia T. Paul Poetry Fund. Established in 1998, the endowed fund brings distinguished poets to campus for public readings and to work with students on writing poetry and verse.
