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Filmography - Poets and Poetry: F-K

Introduction

To aid in the selection of videos for your class and research needs, we've created a large number of filmographies on many subject areas.
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Filmography - Poets and Poetry

This is a selective list of video holdings in the American University Library. Filmographies are created by doing multiple keyword searches in the catalog to capture as many titles on a topic as possible. 

For complete, up-to-date holdings please search the library catalog search box on the Media Services homepage. (http://www.american.edu/library/mediaservices/Finding Aids on the same page includes other subject oriented content.

For more information take a look at the Streaming Video Guides and Browsing Collections

The Faerie Queene The Secret Life of Books (Series 2). 1 online resource (1 video file (29 min., 5 sec.)).  The Secret Life of Books (Series 2): Secret life of books. Considered one of the most influential poems in the English language, Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" is a fusion of Arthurian romance and Italian Renaissance epic styles. Written in the 16th century, the poem is heavily laced with allegory and metaphor. Spenser wrote the bulk of the poem while serving as a private secretary in Ireland, and dedicated it to Queen Elizabeth I. Divided into six books, the fantastical "Faerie Queene" explores a world of queens, knights, dragons, nymphs, and enchantments. Art historian Dr. Janina Ramirez examines the intricacies of Spenser's work and interviews various experts for a comprehensive study of the poem. Streaming video.

Finding new roads poetry in the classroom. 1 online resource (16 min.).  Education in video: Profiles in education series. National Prize for Poetry winner, Kenneth Koch, discusses his work on teaching and writing poetry; also we see his highly inspirational approach at work with a group of elementary students. Streaming video.

First cousin once removed : a story of life after memory ... inside the mind of poet Edwin Honig. 1 videodisc (1 hour, 19 min.).  A distinguished poet, translator, critic and teacher, Edwin Honig wrote dozens of books and poems that attracted critical praise around the world. His seminal translations awakened English-speaking readers to previously overlooked literary giants, resulting in honorary knighthoods from the king of Spain and the president of Portugal. In FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED, acclaimed documentary filmmaker Alan Berliner paints a deeply personal portrait of his "good friend, cousin and mentor" as Honig journeys through the ravages of Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. A stark reminder of the profound role memory plays in everyone's life, this is a moving essay on the fragility of being human.  HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 3629

Flicker. 1 online resource (1 video file, approximately 75 min.).  This award-winning documentary about poet, calligrapher and mystic Brion Gysin portrays the life and legacy of an artist who believed art could revolutionize human consciousness. This film chronicles Gysin's complex ideas and influence with some key counterculture figures, such as William Burroughs and Kurt Cobain. Streaming video.

For a thousand tongues to sing! life and hymns of Charles Wesley. 1 streaming video file (55 min.).  Between 1738 and 1788, Charles Wesley wrote more than 9,000 hymns and sacred poems, work which earned him the title "The Sweet Bard of Methodism." This program recounts Wesley's life and life's work, with special attention to his better-known songs, such as "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." Scholars of music and theology speak about Wesley's childhood, education, and missionary work; explore the roots of his passion for hymn-writing; and demonstrate how Wesley's impressive body of work consistently embraced astute references to Scripture, poetic language, and personal experience. Streaming video.

For My People The Life And Writing Of Margaret Walker. 1 streaming video file (28 min.).  Margaret Walker has been described by Nikki Giovanni as the "most famous person nobody knows." Walker established one of the first Black Studies centers in the nation, was mentored by Langston Hughes and W.E.B. Du Bois, and her signature poem, "For My People," set a tone and a level of commitment to which African-American writers have been responding ever since. Narrated by Ruby Dee, this biographical film combines conversations with Walker, readings from her poetry, and commentary from leading scholars to make a powerful argument for the centrality of her work to contemporary American literature. Streaming video.

From Romanticism to realism. 1 streaming video file (51 min.).  Fire and ink, the legacy of Latin American literature. The 19th century brought tumultuous political change to Central and South America. This program shows how the cultural crucible of the region fused and realigned aesthetic movements considered sacrosanct in Europe-specifically, Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism. In an eclectic matching game that became typical of Latin American literature, Realist and historical novels existed cheek-and-jowl with Romantic poetry, Romantic novels competed with the anecdotes of Ricardo Palma, and newspaper serials vied for attention with costumbrismo-a genre that depicted everyday manners and customs. Jicotencal, Jorge Isaacs' Maria, and Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda's Guatimozin, Last Emperor of Mexico are among the works discussed. Streaming video.

Gang of souls a generation of beat poets . 2008, 1 videodisc (60 min.).  Maria Beatty's documentary exploring the insights and influences of the American Beat Poets. The film conveys their consciousness and sensibility through interviews with William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, among others. Also weaves in additional commentary from contemporary musicians, poets and writers such as Marianne Faithfull, Richard Hell, Lydia Lunch and Henry Rollins. Also expands upon how the poets reached new levels of creativity and inspired social change. With interviews by Winchester Chimes, Tom Becker, and Kathryn Simon.  HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 11423 and Streaming video.

George Eliot A Concise Biography. 1 streaming video file (36 min.).  Famous authors: Famous authors. This overview of the life and literature of George Eliot from the Famous Authors series follows Eliot's comfortable childhood through the several phases of her education and religious development, during which she discovered major influences like Sir Walter Scott, Shakespeare, and evangelism. Later in ife, she moved away from her evangelist views, eventually leaving the Church of England all together, and took a liking to the romantic poets. The video traces Eliot's entrance into journalism, via editing the Westminister Review, through her successful career as a novelist. Streaming video.

Gerard Manley Hopkins's Poems and Letters in Performance. 1 online resource (1 video file (24 min., 23 sec.)).  On this episode of Camera Three, Maureen Stapleton and Robert Elston recite letters, journal entries, and poems from Gerald Manley Hopkins, a Jesuit pries that died in 1889. Streaming video.

Gilbert Sorrentino. 1 videodisc (60 min.).  Lannan literary series. "Gilbert Sorrentino is an innovative and darkly humorous stylistic virtuoso who has written more than 20 books of fiction, poetry and criticism. He reads from Under the Shadow, a work composed of 59 independent, surreal tales which display his imaginative brilliance and satiric power. The reading took place on March 2, 1993, in Los Angeles, and Gibert Sorrentino talked with Michael Silverblatt" DVD 13434

The Glorious Romantics Lord Byron, John Keats, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. 1 streaming video file (90 min.).  A lover's delight lay in the words of Lord Byron, John Keats, and Percy Bysshe Shelley as they caressed the English language with their poetic phrases. British actress Jean Marsh (Upstairs, Downstairs) complements a wonderful ensemble of actors in this essential collection of Romantic poetry. Streaming video.

Gonzalo Rojas. 1 streaming video file (26 min.).  Addressing themes too often neglected in our technology-worshiping global culture, Chilean poet Gonzalo Rojas exemplifies the complexity of 20th-century Latin American literature. This program records Rojas' musings on his life in poetry and the manifold settings and circumstances in which he has worked. The Cervantes Prize winner and author of The Misery of Man, Against Death, and Dark contemplates the importance of physical sensations and actions-such as writing by hand instead of typing-when composing verse, as well as the difference between ambiguity and confusion in literature and life. He also shares his thoughts on the self-imposed exile of his youth. Streaming video.

Gothic Undercurrents. 1 online resource (1 video file (27 min., 38 sec.)).  American Passages: A Literary Survey. What was haunting the American nation in the 1850s? The three writers treated in this program, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Emily Dickinson, use poetry and prose to explore the dark side of nineteenth-century America. Streaming video.

Great African-American Poetry Performed. 1 online resource (1 video file (27 min., 46 sec.)).  On this episode of Camera Three, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee perform poetry about the African-American experience. Excerpts include verses from Paul Laurence Dunbar, Sterling Brown, Frank Horne, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Margaret Walker. Streaming video.

Great Writers Jean Cocteau. 1 streaming video file (44 min.).  Jean Cocteau was a very versatile 20th century artist. Author of "Les Enfants Terribles," and "la Belle et la Bête," he was one of the most influential French writers of the 1920s and the 1930s. His large body of work includes poetry, novels, works for theater and films, paintings, opera and dance, and journalistic criticism. He was criticized by the surrealists to whom he was compared. He struggled with religion, opium addiction and was openly bi-sexual. Please preview prior to using this video as it contains subject matter which may not be appropriate for all audiences. Streaming video.

Great Writers Roald Dahl. 1 streaming video file (46 min.).   Roald Dahl, 1916-1990, Britain's best selling author of children's books like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach," is known for his children's stories, but he led an adventurous early life as biplane pilot in Africa, RAF fighter pilot in WWII, and British intelligence agent. His daughter Ophelia and his second wife, Felicity Crosland Dahl, recall Dahl's family and writing life at Gipsy House in Great Missenden, England. Apart from Dahl's books for children, he wrote erotic adult fiction, poetry and plays. We hear excerpts from some of his children's stories, see illustrations by Quentin Blake and meet his French editor.bDahl refutes criticism of his slightly naughty descriptions and unsympathetic portrait of women in "The Witches," and jabs at accepted conventions as a connection to the realism of childhood. Streaming video.

Gustavo Adolfo Becquer. 1 streaming video file (22 min.).  Masters of the Spanish word. Although he lived only 34 years, Gustavo Becquer is largely responsible for leading Spanish poetry toward the Modernist era. This program details his life and artistic journey, from his birth into impoverished nobility to his death in obscurity-and his posthumous fame as Spain's greatest post-Romantic poet. Outlining the author's education, friendships, and failed loves, the video focuses on the power of the Rimas and the political turmoil that prevented its publication during Becquer's lifetime. The clarity and sensitivity of his letters and the inventiveness of his prose legends are also showcased in this poignant, compelling biography. Streaming video.

Hardcastle Crags Sylvia Plath. 1 streaming video file (29 min.).  Poet's Guide to Britain: Poet's Guide to Britain. Sylvia Plath's breathtaking modern verse, radically feminine perspective and anatomization of her depression and journey to suicide brought a whole new readership to poetry. 'Hardcastle Crags' and 'The Great Carbuncle,' set on the moor above Heptonstall, the Yorkshire town where she is now buried, are representative of work addressing an adopted landscape when she was newly married to Ted Hughes. The film explores Plath's visits to Hughes's family and events that engendered this bleak take on her relationship. It also uses Plath to springboard across the valley to the real and fictional 'Wuthering Heights' and into Emily Bronte's verse on the same landscape. Streaming video.

Harold Bloom critic in the active voice. 1 streaming video file (60 min.).  From his assault on New Criticism to his salvos against the "school of resentment," literary scholar Harold Bloom has fused an eloquent defense of the western canon with insightful analysis and a rebel's penchant for controversy. This imaginative program, the first-ever documentary on Bloom's far-reaching contributions to literary criticism, ushers viewers through the complex world of his writings, ideas, influences, and impact. Presenting extensive commentary from Bloom himself, the film also features detailed interviews with the renowned Sir Frank Kermode, a long-time colleague and sometime rival of Bloom's, and The New School's Dr. Nicholas Birns, literary critic and former student of both Bloom and Kermode. Academics who have studied Bloom's career-including Dr. Xavier Perez Torio of Pompeu Fabra University and Dr. Raffaele Pinto of the University of Barcelona-are also included. Streaming video.

Heinrich Heine. 1streaming video file (24 min.).  Famous Poets and the Songs They Inspired: Musical Voices. A man of extreme artistic, political, and spiritual contrasts, Heinrich Heine was a German Jew who converted to Christianity, despised the hypocrisies of all religions, lived as an expatriate in Paris, and befriended Karl Marx while fearing the communist impact on European culture. In this program, Heine is brought to life by a skilled actor who offers up to the viewer many of the poet's complex ideas, attitudes, and experiences. Meanwhile, beautiful renditions of Schumann songs based on Heine's poetry are presented, including the andante from Clara's Piano Trio in G minor as well as Robert's "Romanzen," "Du Bist Wie Eine Blume," and "Die Lotosblume. Streaming video.

Hispania ablaze. 1 streaming video file (25 min.).  The Invisible Line: Spain's Islamic Heritage. In the eighth century, the fertile and forested Iberian peninsula-also known as Hispania or Al-Andalus-was transformed into a battlefield. This episode illustrates Spain's descent into transcontinental and interreligious warfare with the coming of the Umayyad invaders and the prolonged infighting that erupted among both Christian and Arab forces. Exploring the complex heritage manifested in the Mozarabic architecture of Cordoba, Seville, and Badajoz, the films also sheds light on the Visigothic presence in Tingitana, or Tangier, as well as the treachery of the sons of Wittiza. Streaming video.

Howl. 2011?, 1 videodisc (84 min.).  Allen Ginsberg recounts the road trips, love affairs, and search for personal liberation that led to the most timeless, electrifying, and controversial work of his career. Pushing the limits and challenging the mainstream, the passionate and provocative Howl and its publisher find themselves on trial for obscenity, with prosecutor Ralph McIntosh setting out to have the book banned, while defense attorney Jake Ehrlich fervently argues for freedom of speech and creative expression. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 10417

Hughes' Dream Harlem. 1 streaming video file (61 min.).   Known as "Harlem's poet laureate," Langston Hughes was one of the most prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance. This lyrical program celebrates Hughes' life and work, offering a vision of the esteemed poet in present-day Harlem and making a case for his impact on hip-hop music and the contemporary spoken-word community. Narrated by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, the multilayered presentation includes roundtable discussions of Hughes' contributions with poet Sonia Sanchez, music producer Damon Dash, and others, and a tour of his New York City haunts. Streaming video.

IF the poet. 1 online resource (51 minutes).  What happens when a middle-aged man with a career, family, mortgage, and a cat crashes the competitive world of Slam Poetry? Streaming video.

Il postino The postman. 95, 1 videodisc (108 min.).  Miramax collector's series. Mario is a bumbling mailman in love with the beautiful Beatrice but he is too shy to tell her how he feels. Then the poet Pablo Neurda moves to town and Mario enlists Neurda's help to find the right words that will win the heart of Beatrice. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 5733

In custody. 2005, 1 videodisc (125 min.).  Merchant Ivory collection. Nur is considered the greatest living Urdu poet and Deven hopes to rekindle interest in the language by recording Nur reciting his magical verse. But multiple problems block Deven's path, the greatest being Nur's two shrewish wives, his love of drink, and the vastly bloated poet himself. Deven's monstrous task quickly turns into a cultural odyssey that follows a humorous path to an unexpected conclusion. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 3649

In Praise of the Lord A Joyous Performance of Poetry. 1 streaming video file (30 min.).  Much of the world's most beautiful poetry has been written as reverent testaments of faith and devotion. Accompanied by the Lincoln, Nebraska, St. Paul United Methodist Church choir and organ, the members of the First Poetry Quartet present a joyous selection of poetry "In Praise of the Lord.". Streaming video.

In the Footsteps of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. 1 streaming video file (59 min.).  Written around 1400 in Middle English by an unknown hand, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a mysterious poem about an uncanny event that takes place in the legendary realm of King Arthur. In this program, renowned Gawain translator Simon Armitage seeks a richer understanding of the poem by walking the fading trail that ends at the Green Chapel, the climax point of the famously alliterative epic that is equal parts adventure story, supernatural tale, steamy romance, parable, and tribute to nature. Enthralling! Readings and commentary by Armitage are interwoven throughout the narrative. Streaming video.

Intimate profiles of five major poets. 1 online resource (95 min.).  Filmakers library online: Poet's View. The Poet's View is a unique film series presenting intimate portraits of five major American poets. Filmed on location in Hawaii, Paris, New York, and California, The Poet s View takes the viewer inside the homes and lives of our era s foremost poetic talents, as they reminisce about their formative years, reveal their poetic processes, and read some of their best-known poems. Unprecedented access takes the viewer beyond the public faces of these celebrated poets, as we hear John Ashbery discuss the early days of the New York School, U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan muse on her working-class origins, Anthony Hecht vividly relate his experience freeing the prisoners of Buchenwald, W. S. Merwin recount his odd mentoring by Ezra Pound, and Louise Glück describe the painstaking "miracle" of creating a poem. ABOUT THE POETS - JOHN ASHBERY s first book was chosen by W. H. Auden for the Yale Younger Poets Series, and he has since gone on to win nearly every major America award for poetry. LOUISE GLÜCK is a former United States Poet Laureate, and has received the Pulitzer Prize and the New Yorker s book award in Poetry. ANTHONY HECHT was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize and the Wallace Stevens lifetime achievement award from the Academy of American Poets. KAY RYAN is the current United States Poet Laureate; her honors include the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize and publication in The Best of the Best American Poetry. W. S. MERWIN is a former Poetry Consultant to the Library of Congress, and has received a Pulitzer Prize and the Bollingen Prize. A supplemental Poet s View DVD is available about poet C. K. Williams. Films in this series: Poet s View: C.K. Williams. Streaming video.

James Dickey, Muriel Rukeyser, and Peter Viereck Read and Discuss Poetry. 1 online resource (1 video file (27 min., 49 sec.)).  On this episode of Camera Three, James Dickey, Muriel Rukeyser, and Peter Viereck discuss the popularity of poetry readings on college campuses, compare modern Russian and American audiences, and Cause poetry. The poets read The Night Pool, To be Sung, and Part 12 of The Outer Banks. Streaming video.

James Joyce A Concise Biography. 1 streaming video file (37 min.).  Famous authors: Famous authors. This program from the Famous Authors series traces James Joyce's life from his childhood and university days in Ireland, during which he was strongly religious, through his time in Paris where he denounced Catholicism, studied medicine, and began writing poetry, articles, and book reviews. The film introduces viewers to the city of Dublin, the background of Ulysses, Dubliners, and his other works. Joyce made a spotty living writing and teaching, but often struggled with money and drinking. Streaming video.

Javier Egea and Luis Garcia Montero. 1 streaming video file (31 min.).  After the death of Franco and during the transition to a parliamentary monarchy, Spain's cultural life blossomed once againches In this environment, the poetry movement known as "the other sentimentality"-named after the first book of Javier Egea and Luis Garcia Montero-was born, a movement known for its transformation of the personal experience into a collective one so that any reader might identify with the feelings evoked. This program discusses that literary movement, chronicles the disenchantment about life and society that soon set in and contributed to Egea's suicide, and celebrates the continued achievements of Luis Garcia Montero's life. Streaming video.

Jim Harrison with Peter Lewis, Conversation, 27 February 2002. 2002, 1 streaming video file (32 min.).  Lannan Foundation videos: Lannan Foundation videos. Jim Harrison has published thirteen collections of poetry, including The Shape of the Journey: New and Collected Poems; After Ikkyu; The Theory and Practice of Rivers; Natural World: A Bestiary; Returning to Earth; and Locations. He has worked as a screenwriter, book reviewer, literary critic, food columnist, sportswriter, and conservationist. Other works include a collection of novellas, The Summer He Didn't Die, and Legends of the Fall, which was made into a celebrated film. Mr. Harrison has been honored with fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation. Streaming video.

Jimmy Santiago Baca with Carolyn Forchâe, 15 September 2010. 2010, 1 streaming video file (27 min.).  Lannan Foundation videos: Lannan Foundation videos. "Jimmy Santiago Baca is a poet, memoirist, activist, and native New Mexican. His books include a memoir, A Place to Stand: The Making of a Poet, and the story collection, The Importance of a Piece of Paper. "Language placed my life experiences in a new context, freeing me for the moment to become with air as air, with clouds as clouds, from which new associations arose to engage me in present life in a more purposeful way." His recent novel, A Glass of Water, tells the story of Casimiro and Nopal who carry with them the promise of a new beginning as young immigrants having made the nearly deadly journey across the border from Mexico. The Dallas Morning News says, "An insistent theme of redemption blends with an unexpected lyrical tenderness, confirming that even in the harsh landscape of his stories, Mr. Baca sees a horizon of hope.". Streaming video.

John Balaban with Michael Silverblatt, Conversation, 6 November 2002. 2002, 1 streaming video file (23 min.).  Lannan Foundation videos: Lannan Foundation videos. John Balaban is the author of eleven books of poetry and prose, a translator of Vietnamese poetry, and a past president of the American Literary Translators Association. Streaming video.

John D'Agata with Ben Marcus, 16 February 2011. 2011,  1 streaming video file (28 min.).  Lannan Foundation videos: Lannan Foundation videos. John D'Agata published his first book, Halls of Fame, a collection of lyric essays, in 2001 and Annie Dillard called it "A daring, utterly original book by a young writer of rare intelligence and artistry... With wit and finesse, and writing that's as much poetry as it is prose, D'Agata is redefining the modern American essay." He has since edited two essay collections, The Next American Essay (2002) and The Lost Origins of the Essay (2009) and his creative nonfiction book, About a Mountain, was published in 2010. His next book, due in February 2011, is titled The Lifespan of a Fact, which is a collaboration with a fact-checker. D'Agata holds MFAs in both nonfiction and poetry and teaches creative writing at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where he lives. Streaming video.

John Keats. 1 online resource (1 video file (29 min., 41 sec.)).  Born in London in 1975, English poet John Keats left behind a legacy of literature despite his short 25 year lifespan. He studied medicine but became a lifelong lover of literature, befriending many in the arts and spending his life writing poetry in various settings. He lost his life to the sickness of the day known as consumption, now referred to as tuberculosis. Streaming video.

Joy Harjo. 1 videodisc (60 min.).  Lannan literary series. "Joy Harjo, one of the most important Native American poets and author of 'She had Some Horses', reads for the Laguna Poets in Laguna Beach and is interviewed by Lewis MacAdams"--Container. DVD 13400

Juan Ramon Jimenez movement toward purity. 1 streaming video file (58 min.).  Spanish Creators of the 20th Century: Spanish creators of the 20th Century. Awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Literature, Juan Ramon Jimenez was a master of impressionistic language and imagery. This program explores the Spanish poet's life and career with the help of scholarly interviews, archival photographs, and excerpts from Jimenez' writings. Conveying his youthful interest in Romanticism and Symbolism, his subsequent emphasis on color and tonality, and his lifelong engagement with the spiritual dimensions of death and nothingness, the program describes the poet's bouts with depression, his ties to other Spanish writers such as Ruben Dario and Francisco Villaespesa, and the travels undertaken by Jimenez and his wife, Zenobia Camprubi. Streaming video.

Kay Ryan with Atsuro Riley, Reading, 13 April 2011. 2011,  1 streaming video file (52 min.).  Lannan Foundation videos: Lannan Foundation videos. Kay Ryan was appointed the Library of Congress's 16th Poet Laureate in 2008. She has published several collections of poetry, including The Niagara River, Say Uncle, and Flamingo Watching. A re-issue of her 2002 collection, Believe It or Not!, poems inspired by stories from the newspaper cartoon Ripley's Believe It or Not!, has recently been re-released and re-titled as The Jam Jar Lifeboat & Other Novelties Exposed. Her most recent publication is The Best of It: New and Selected Poems. A longtime resident of Marin County, she was born in California in 1945 and grew up in the small towns of the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. About her work, J.D. McClatchy has said: "Her poems are compact, exhilarating, strange affairs, like Erik Satie miniatures or Joseph Cornell boxes. She is an anomaly in today's literary culture: as intense and elliptical as Dickinson, as buoyant and rueful as Frost." Ryan's poems and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Poetry, The Yale Review, The Paris Review, and The Threepenny Review, among other journals and anthologies. She was named to the "It List" by Entertainment Weekly and one of her poems has been permanently installed at New York's Central Park Zoo. Ryan was elected a Chancellor of The Academy of American Poets in 2006. In October 2009, Kay Ryan launched her project "Poetry for the Mind's Joy," an initiative through which she hopes to draw national attention to community colleges, as well as drawing the colleges' attention to poetry. Streaming video.

Kwame Dawes with Chris Abani, 29 September 2010. 2010,  2 streaming video files (92 min.).   Lannan Foundation videos: Lannan Foundation videos. Kwame Dawes is a writer of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and plays. Born in Ghana in 1962, Dawes spent most of his childhood and early adult life in Jamaica. As a poet, he is profoundly influenced by the rhythms and textures of that lush place, citing in a recent interview his "spiritual, intellectual, and emotional engagement with reggae music." His book Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius remains the most authoritative study of the lyrics of Bob Marley. Dawes has also published 15 collections of poetry. His most recent titles include Back of Mount Peace and Hope's Hospice. His book, Requiem is a suite of poems inspired by the illustrations of African American artist Tom Feelings in his landmark book The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo. He has also published two novels: Bivouac and She's Gone, winner of the 2008 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Debut Fiction. In 2007 he released a memoir, A Far Cry From Plymouth Rock: A Personal Narrative, called "a poet's eloquent meditation on the complexities of history, race and the oft-broken promise of America," by Geoff Dyer. Streaming video.

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