Located on the ground floor of the K-State Student Union tomorrow during Open House will be the Department of English’s table presenting “Poet-in-a-Box” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“‘Poet-in-a-Box’ is basically a fun way to experience poetry,” said Naomi Wood, professor and director of undergraduate studies in the English department.
As they did last year, undergraduate and graduate students in English will pose as poets disguised behind a cardboard box generating poems through the “OUT” slot that participants insert through the “IN” slot.
“It is a test of ingenuity for the poets and great fun for the people giving the ideas because then they have an original poem about whatever they wanted,” said Michael Donnelly, associate professor of English.
April is National Poetry Month, Wood said, and “Poet-in-a-Box” shows people who are afraid of poetry that it isn’t something to be feared. She wants to stress that poetry is about expression, challenge and fun.
Donnelly said for attendees to not expect an epic haiku since the poets have barely two minutes to produce a poem, sometimes less, behind the box. Like Wood said, it is like a game or challenge to try to stump the poet by writing down topics like silly string and income taxes, for example.
“I don’t know if it is more fun for the poets or the people providing the information,” Donnelly said.
Wood said last year was lots of fun and hopes for the same outcome this year.