Poetry and Voice - A Creative and Critical Conference

Academics and poets from across the world are expected to come to Chichester in June to reflect on the subject of voice in poetry.

The three-day conference will be opened by a session with UK poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy on 25th June. Duffy is the first ever female poet laureate, and has written several works since being appointed in May 2009, covering topics ranging from MP expenses to climate change. She has also lead a poetry event in aid of Haiti in Westminster Abbey.

Also presenting sessions will be the modern American war poet Brian Turner, who has served in Iraq and writes vividly about his experiences on the ground, and Philip Gross, who was awarded the T S Elliot Prize in 2010, a prestigious poetry award, for his work The Water Table. David Constantine,Helen Dunmore, Vicki Feaver and Lawrence Sail are presenting powerful papers and readings about voice, language and interpretation.

Conference organiser Stephanie Norgate, senior lecturer in English and Creative Writing at the University of Chichester, said: "In the study and writing of poetry, voice is considered the essence which makes the work live. Critics and editors talk of a ‘distinctive voice' and of poets ‘finding their voice'. But what is ‘voice' in poetry? That is what this conference will explore.

"To have such great poets coming to our conference is testament to the reputation of the university as one of the finest places in the country to learn about creative writing. Carol Ann Duffy and Philip Gross are two of the biggest names in the poetry world at the moment, and to have them speaking at the university is exciting news.

"Duffy's work is featured in the school syllabus at all levels, and rarely are there opportunities for students of all ages and their teachers to hear from the poet herself at a local venue. Therefore, we are selling tickets separately for Duffy's talk, as we are for Brian Turner's session the following day.

‘So far, we have exciting proposals from poets and academics in Singapore, Australia, the USA, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Croatia and Bosnia, as well as from many respected poets and academics in the UK.

"As a city, Chichester is steeped in literary history, with connections to poets such as Blake and Keats. For those coming to the conference from further afield, the accommodation provided at the University will serve as an excellent base to have an extended stay in the area."

The conference will take place at the University's Bishop Otter Campus in Chichester, West Sussex, between Friday 25th June and Sunday 27th June.

For more information about the conference, and to download the booking form for tickets, visit: http://www.chiuni.ac.uk/english/PoetryAndVoiceConference.cfm

 

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Fri, 05/02/2010 - 15:09 — Admin