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Everything
Charles North
Poet-In-Residence And Professor English, NYC
绿巨人视频Poet-in-Residence Charles North's book of poetry entitled Everything was included in the of "New & Noteworthy Poetry Books." In this Q&A, North shares special moments, advice for young poets, and more.
What is the central theme of your book?
It's a collection of poems written from 2012-2019.
What inspired you to write this book?
No specific inspiration. Different poems come about for different reasons, not all of which I (or any poet) can pinpoint.
Why is this book important in your field? What does it contribute to the current body of knowledge on its topic?
I think the jury is out on both! In any case, both are for others to decide.
Can you share a special moment when writing this book?
That's a hard one. One thing that comes to mind is the long title poem. I had written a few longish poems over the years but never a really long one, and I decided to give that idea a go鈥攌eep a piece going (and try to keep it effective and interesting). When I decided Everything was finished (the French poet Paul Val茅ry famously said that poems are never finished, only abandoned), the poem came to 26 pages; actually, 29 when a "study" for it and a "coda" were attached.
What is the one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
Pleasure/stimulation/the sense that poetry is a much larger notion than many think.
What other books have you had published?
Eleven poetry collections plus a handful of poetry chapbooks; three books of critical prose about poets, critics, and artists; several collaborative books with artists and other poets.
...poetry is a much larger notion than many think.
Fun Facts
When did you join Dyson College?
I've been at 绿巨人视频a long time, though until the late 1990s as an adjunct in the English department, teaching literature and all levels of composition. I was made 绿巨人视频Poet-in-Residence in 1997.
What motivates you as a teacher?
I care a great deal about literature and about writing well, and try hard to encourage students to care as much as I do about both. A few years ago I created an honors course, which I named "The Pleasures of Poetry," to counteract unfortunate misconceptions about poetry鈥攚hat it's "for," how to approach it, what readers gain from it鈥攚hich I encountered throughout my schooling, many of which are still current.
What do you do in your spare time; to relax/unwind?
Books, movies, sports (more watching than playing these days; I'm still a baseball fan鈥攐ne of my early books of poems was a collection of poems in the form of baseball lineups); music (I was a serious clarinetist as a teenager and thought about spending my life in music). My wife, daughter and son, and, all of a sudden (it seems; it really isn't), grandchildren are everything to me.
What are you reading right now?
I'm usually in the middle of more than one book at a time. I'm a big mystery fan and am nearing the end of one of P. D. James's Adam [author] Dalgliesh mysteries; I'm also rereading a book by the contemporary philosopher Saul Kripke (at one point I was about to enter a Ph.D. program in philosophy but decided against it; my daughter teaches philosophy); always reading and rereading my favorite poets.
What advice do you have for young poets?
Read a lot of (good) poetry!