Public Invited To Special UHart Poetry Program

University of Hartford

WEST HARTFORD/HARTFORD, CT — A trio of acclaimed poets will be at the University of Hartford next week for a special program showcasing their work and the power of words.

The program is set for Tuesday, March 21, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the University of Hartford's Wilde Auditorium and it is free and open to the public.

Poets Martin Espada, Antionette Brim-Bell and Benjamin Grossberg will read from their work and join a conversation about the power of poetry and diverse voices.

“Celebrating Literary Voices to Create an Inclusive Culture” is the school’s spring 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lecture Series, sponsored by the Rogow Distinguished Visiting Lecturer Program.

The Rogow Distinguished Visiting Lecturer Program brings celebrated authors, journalists, historians, academics and artists to the Greater Hartford area.

The university’s DEI Lecture Series Planning Committee, which is presenting the program, chose writers who make poetry accessible and relevant to a wide audience of all ages.

"The poetry of Espada, Grossberg, and Brim-Bell reveals identities and lives that are often marginalized, inviting interrogations and insights into diverse cultures," said Christine Grant, assistant vice president for diversity, equity and community engagement at UHart.

Grossberg, a UHart professor of English and modern languages and director of creative writing, received the 2021 Connecticut Book Award in poetry for his latest collection, "My Husband Would."

Brim-Bell, Connecticut’s eighth state poet laureate, is the author of three full-length poetry collections: "These Women You Gave Me," "Icarus in Love" and "Psalm of the Sunflower."

Espada has published more than 20 books as a poet, editor, essayist and translator.

His latest book of poems is "Floaters, winner of the 2021 National Book Award and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Attendees planning to go should register online at hartford.edu/poets.

For more information on the program, click on this link.