The Archeology of Poetry—Digging the Moment with t’ai freedom ford

By definition, archeology is the study of human history through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains. By definition, poetry is a similar pursuit: poets excavate sites (and sights), unearthing and examining artifacts in an attempt to understand humanity. In this way, we will consider memories, photographs, and personal geographies as artifacts in order to get at a specific moment in time. By digging beyond the surface and examining these moments, one can begin to make sense of both personal and public histories. We will, of course, look to fellow poet-archeologists like Seamus Heaney, Tracy K. Smith, Kevin Young, Lucille Clifton, and others for inspiration and conversation around the writing/digging process.

t’ai freedom ford is a New York City high school English teacher and Cave Canem Fellow. Her poetry has appeared in Drunken Boat, Sinister Wisdom, The African American Review, Vinyl, Gulf Coast, Tin House, Poetry and other journals. Her work has also been featured in several anthologies including The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop. Winner of the 2015 To the Lighthouse Poetry Prize, her first poetry collection, how to get over, is available from Red Hen Press. t’ai lives and loves in Brooklyn, but hangs out digitally at: howtogetover.com.

Click here to register