UTNAA Distinguished Professor of English Dr. Richard Jackson, with UTC alumni and current students, as well as distinguished American poets, recently teamed up to produce The Heart’s Many Doors. The collaborative effort features poems by American poets responding to prints by Slovene artist Metka Krasovec. These particular prints were inspired by Emily Dickinson.
Krasovec, who is battling cancer, is a leading European artist and wife of recently deceased poet Tomaz Salamun.
“This has been a labor of love,” Jackson notes, “for Metka has been a friend since the late 80’s and once had a show at UTC.”
The contributors (41 poets in all) have a personal connection to Metka. Students met her on a Creative Writing trip to Europe and studied the work of her and her husband.
“It is a great opportunity for them [current and former students] to be included in the book,” Jackson said, “and I was delighted that the publisher also felt their work held up to the standards of the more famous poets included.”
Former UTC students featured include Danielle Hanson, Cathy Wagner, Emilia Phillips, Trenna Sharp, Ata Moharerri, and Bradley Paul. All have gone on to publish books of their own. The Hearts Many Doors includes poems by current UTC students Ann Manning, Brittney Carneal, Olivia Townsend, and recent graduates Cody Taylor, Josh Mensch, Jordan Culotta, and Hunter Hobbs. Among the well known American poets who contributed are Ralph Angel, Mark Halliday, Mary Ruefle, Mark Jarman, Dara Wier, Leslie Ullman, Mark Cox, Dean Young, Chris Merrill, William Olsen, Nancy Eimers, Christopher Buckley, David Wojahn, and UTC’s Earl Braggs as well as Jackson himself.
The Heart’s Many Doors is now available online with Wings Press. Visit their website here for more information.
