Amy Woolard reads 'Via Negativa' by Charles Wright, discussing its spiritual and Virginia-centric themes. They explore the elegance and complexity of poetry analysis, delving into the unspeakable spiritual landscape. Themes of love, loss, place, and belonging are vividly explored in the poems, offering insights into life's uncertainties and the creation of meaningful art.
Charles Wright's ability to create a powerful sense of place in his poems influenced poet Amy Woolard's work.
Amy Woolard admires Wright's exploration of the unspeakable and divine through landscape and spirituality in his poem 'Via Negativa'.
Deep dives
Influences of Charles Wright's Poetry on Amy Willard
Poet Amy Willard discusses the influence of Charles Wright, her 'poetry dad,' on her work. Having been taught by Wright during her time as an undergraduate, she credits him with shaping her poetry style and nurturing her development as a poet. Willard highlights Wright's ability to create a powerful sense of place in his poems, particularly noting the influence of Virginia in his work. This connection to landscape and spirituality resonates with Willard, reflecting in her own poems that explore similar themes and draw on her personal experiences.
Characteristics of Charles Wright's Poem 'Via Negativa'
Amy Willard delves into Charles Wright's poem 'Via Negativa,' praising its exploration of the unspeakable and divine through landscape and spirituality. Willard admires Wright's ability to navigate the interplay between the known and the unknown, drawing on mystical elements while remaining rooted in tangible surroundings. She discusses the humor and gallows-like quality present in Wright's work, noting the blend of high and low, ordinary and extraordinary. Willard appreciates the musicality and deliberate construction of Wright's lines, which inspire her own poetic approach.
Themes of Ritual and Reverence in Amy Willard's 'Late Shift'
Amy Willard introduces her poem 'Late Shift,' emphasizing its exploration of ritual and reverence in the context of working in restaurant settings. The poem captures the chosen family dynamic and the reverence for the work that defines the restaurant industry. Willard reflects on the significance of place, time, and routine in these environments, portraying them as almost sacred spaces where human connections and tribulations intersect. 'Late Shift' delves into the dualities of everyday experiences, blending the ordinary with the extraordinary and infusing them with mythic undertones.
Evolution of Poetic Form in Amy Willard's Work
Amy Willard discusses her poetic evolution in 'Late Shift' and reflects on her shift from writing free-form poetry to using couplets as a deliberate structural choice. Willard explains that her journey with couplets began as a way to honor a significant figure in her life, weaving a sense of duality and remembrance into her work. The deliberate pairing of lines in couplets allows Willard to create a sonic and thematic unity within her poems, guiding readers through a narrative that balances the heroic and the human. By focusing on place, time, and the interconnectedness of experiences, Willard's poems resonate with a blend of lyricism and narrative depth.
Amy Woolard joins Kevin Young to read “Via Negativa,” by Charles Wright, and her own poem “Late Shift.” Woolard, whose debut poetry collection, “Neck of the Woods,” won the 2018 Alice James Award from Alice James Books. She is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Vermont Studio Center, and the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference, she’s also a civil-rights attorney and the chief program officer for the ACLU of Virginia.