A Literary Jolt

Stellfox Recipient Paul Muldoon delivers poetic call to action

By MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

鈥淚 was born and bred in the 鈥榤urder triangle,鈥� 鈥� says Paul Muldoon, launching this classroom visit as he launches his poetry鈥攚ith a jolt. 鈥淚t was redolent of quite a few of the forces at work in Irish history coming together in some way. That鈥檚 where I was brought up.鈥�

This is not news to his audience; they鈥檝e been studying this literary giant鈥攁 Pulitzer Prize-winner named by the Times Literary Supplement "the most significant English-language poet" of his generation鈥攆or weeks. But, interesting as it is to read about the violent forces of history that thread through Muldoon鈥檚 Northern Ireland childhood and saturate his 30-some volumes of work, it鈥檚 much more affecting to hear the man describe them in person, and in that soft, honeyed brogue.

Muldoon recently came to campus for a three-day stay that included class visits, a public address, meals with faculty and students, and the premiere of an original choral work based on his poetry. It was all part of the Harold and Ethel L. Stellfox Visiting Scholars and Writers Program, which brings literary luminaries to campus each year.

Throughout the week, Muldoon chatted with students and professors about his poems and his experiences as a poet, rock musician and New Yorker poetry editor. He also answered questions about the current artistic climate; his pedagogical philosophy; his love-hate relationship with his computer keyboard; the interrelatedness of art forms; and his view of the writing process as an act of informed channeling, as opposed to pure craft.

Leo Altidor '14, a psychology major, was eager to put that approach to the test. 鈥淔or him, it鈥檚 very organic鈥攖o some extent, you let the writing lead you, rather than leading the writing,鈥� Altidor said. For Emily Smith 鈥�16, the takeaway was more about inspiration than technique. She emphasized that while Muldoon鈥檚 writerly accomplishments render his advice worth heeding, his soft skills, culled through years as an educator at Princeton University, brought his messages home.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 an important aspect of this residency鈥擲tellfox [awardees] are extraordinary people who can relate to students in an ordinary, accessible way,鈥� said Smith, a double major in political science and English, who worked as student assistant for this year鈥檚 Stellfox selection committee. 鈥淎nd the overall experience of having someone who is accessible and who does this for a living鈥攁nd does it so well鈥攎akes me feel like maybe I can do it as well.鈥�

Muldoon left no doubt on that score. Recalling his own meteoric rise from student to master, he capped his final public event on campus鈥攁 Thursday-afternoon Q & A鈥攚ith a literary call to arms. 鈥淲e think of students as limbering up for the real thing, but the chances of your writing something really fabulous are stronger than the chances of my doing it these days,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut this is it. This is real.鈥�

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Published April 7, 2014

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Stellfox Recipient Paul Muldoon delivers poetic call to action

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