Celebrated Poet Dana Gioia Invites Public To Explore Elizabeth Bishop's Work In Healdsburg

Former California poet laureate will share personal insights from studying under one of America's most celebrated poets.

By Angela Woodall, Patch Staff

Jul 24, 2026 9:33 AM PDT

Dana Gioia, former California Poet Laureate (above), didn't just admire Elizabeth Bishop's work—he studied with her at Harvard, offering participants on Tuesday in Healdsburg a rare opportunity to explore her poetry through the eyes of a former student. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

HEALDSBURG, CA — Former California Poet Laureate Dana Gioia will lead a public discussion of the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop at the Healdsburg Regional Library on Tuesday, July 28, giving readers an opportunity to explore the work of one of the nation's most acclaimed poets with someone who knew her personally.

Gioia, whose career has spanned more than five decades in literature, education, business, and public service, studied with Bishop while pursuing graduate work at Harvard University.

He has described Bishop, who lived from 1911 to 1979, as "the most highly regarded American poet of the second half of the 20th century."

Participants are encouraged to read Bishop's poetry before attending and take part in what organizers describe as an interactive discussion. Readers who need print copies of Bishop's work can contact the library for assistance.

Gioia served as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts from 2003 to 2009, where he helped launch national literary initiatives including The Big Read and Poetry Out Loud.

He later served as California Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2019, becoming the first person in that role to visit all 58 California counties during his tenure. His statewide travels were later featured in a BBC Radio documentary.

An award-winning poet, translator, essayist, and critic, Gioia is also known for his influential 1992 essay collection Can Poetry Matter?, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist widely credited with helping renew public interest in poetry.

In 2023, he published The Madness of Hercules, a verse translation of Seneca's Latin tragedy Hercules Furens.

More recently, he released Poetry as Enchantment, a collection of essays exploring poetry's place in contemporary life.

The free program begins at 6 p.m. in the library's Forum Room. Advance registration is requested at tinyurl.com/bdh6kzhv. For printed copies of Bishop's poetry, contact Megan Jones at mjones@sonomalibrary.org or call (707) 433-3772.