by Abigail Kopp | Jan 17, 2022 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Lipscomb’s very own associate professor, Dr. Jan Harris, released a book of poetry last fall titled “Isolating One’s Priority in a Time of Crisis“. With themes of love in the time of disaster, Harris’s free-verse poetry book covers the subject of life after the end of the world. That made me curious to see who Dr. Harris was and what her process was to create such art and where inspiration comes from. “I think for me inspiration comes in a lot of ways,” Dr. Harris said. “It’s really language. I start with a phrase or maybe an image that I want to return to and try to form words around it. Thinking about a topic and idea and trying to find an image that allows the expression of that in a way that creates space for a lot of people to engage.” Harris stresses the importance of making sure the poem was able to let the audiences’ experiences find the emotional center of the poem no matter what their experience was. Dr. Harris said, “That’s where it’s different than fiction since you need to give it an emotional resonance with your audience.” Dr. Harris has been writing most of her life. When she was an undergrad there wasn’t a creative writing program, but she did participate in the school magazine in which she published some poetry. Though she graduated grad school with an unrelated degree, she always felt drawn back to writing and poetry. “Like most people who are writers, I kept trying to do things more practical,” Dr. Harris said, before telling me she went back into writing...
by Brynn Watkins | Feb 8, 2012 | News Slider, Opinion
The crowd is silent and still, patiently waiting for me to give them my soul that I have written on the sheet of paper in front of me. I am shaky; my voice trembles. I begin. If you follow me on any given Tuesday night, you’ll find me in Swang 118. Look around and you’ll see eager faces of people armed with journals, sheets of notebook paper, computers and various other forms of press. Everything yields poetry. In this room, an unspoken freedom looms, nonjudgmental and loving, a circle of support. A room of an open environment, where you can come read your poetry, hear your neighbors or just sit back and take it all in. In the crowd you see a variety of faces from all different backgrounds with a common center: expressionism. Beatniks, beats, sonnets and slammers gather here in community. There is an atmosphere of an open mic. Nervousness and intensity fills the air as people boldly step forward to share the inner workings of their hearts. This is irrevocably personal. If you have the courage to approach the front you’re already halfway there. I come to the Lipscomb Poetry Group for the sweet release of yesterday’s problems. I feel alive when I get my feelings out in the open air. This is therapy for many people here, a way to cope with the madness we call life, hoping someone can relate and a connection will blossom. I send my words out of my mouth like ships, hoping they can harbor with someone and rest. Come to Lipscomb Poetry Group if you want to feel the heartbeat of...
by Nicci Carney | Apr 4, 2011 | News Slider
Plenty of words–some rhyming, many not–are thrown around in Swang every Tuesday night when a group of Lipscomb students gathers to share what they’ve composed. One of those students, Kiara Bland, a senior from Portland, Tenn, said she does it because she considers it a gift. “The ability to write, the ability to be inspired by the little things in life and put it on paper is more of a gift,” Bland said. “It is God-given and it should be shared.” These poets have had more opportunities to express themselves lately outside of the classroom where they meet once a week. Lipscomb University, along with Youth Speaks, presented Lipscomb’s first of what is expected to be an annual “Poetry Slam.” The night featured some of Nashville’s poets from local high schools and colleges including Lipscomb University, Belmont University and Hunters Lane High School. The idea for this slam came from Lipscomb student Sara Warren after she was introduced to an open mic night on the Vanderbilt University campus. “I was so moved by the readings, I wanted something like that at Lipscomb,” Warren said. Jaleeca Yancy was one of the Lipscomb students who presented her poetry at the slam. Yancy, a sophomore from Memphis, Tenn., loves poetry because it gives her a sense of confidence, as she experiences little to no fear when she speaks. “Sometimes I get a little stage fright [before], but once I get on the stage that all goes away, because I get in my element,” Yancy said. For more information on Youth Speaks and its upcoming events, log on to its website at www.youthspeaksnashville.org. If you are inspired to write...
by Aaron Schmelzer | Feb 18, 2011 | News Slider
It’s a glimpse of human nature, a reflection of society and a revelation of yourself all wrapped into one package called poetry. Join us as we explore poetry on our campus in part one of our three part series: “The Poetry Readings.” Please upgrade your...
