Literary Arts

Light While There is Light, for Keith Waldrop

Keith Waldrop, recipient of the National Book Award in Poetry, died on 27 July 2023. Keith retired from Brown as Brooke Russell Astor Professor of Literary Arts and Comparative Literature in 2011; a distinguished poet and translator, he was named Chevalier of Arts and Letters from the French government. Keith and his wife, Rosmarie, ran Burning Deck Press for over 50 years and published over 200 books.

If you have trouble connecting to a Zoom link, please make sure you are using the link for the right event; then, contact writing@brown.edu or call 401 863 3265.

 

Over the course of two days, an extended community of admirers and friends will celebrate Keith Waldrop’s contributions to world literature. There will be a series of events featuring reminiscences and readings from Keith’s work – at least some of which will be available to attend via Zoom. 

31 October at 2 pm, McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown Street, Room 132 

Also via Zoom: https://brown.zoom.us/j/96589345318

This session will include presentations by Alison Bundy, Jaimy Gordon, Damon Krukowski & Naomi Yang, Ray Ragosta, and Elizabeth Robinson and will be hosted by Sawako Nakayasu

 

31 October at 4:30 pm. Paper Nautilus, 19 South Angell Street, Providence

Paper Nautilus will be exhibiting collages from the extraordinary and prolific Keith Waldrop. Winner of the National Book Award for “Transcendental Studies,” Waldrop also earned a fervent following within the art world for his exquisite collages. A sampling of those collages will be on display.

 

31 October at 7 pm, McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown Street, Room 132

Also via Zoom: https://brown.zoom.us/j/98429274887

This session will include presentations by Charles Bernstein, Julie Cipolla, Steve Evans, Anne Huntington, Catherine Imbriglio, Jennifer Martenson, Kevin McLaughlin, Sawako Nakayasu, Eléna Rivera, Cole Swensen, and Russell Switzer and will be hosted by Eleni Sikelianos

 

1 November from 10:30 to 11:30 am, Bopp Room, John Hay Library, 20 Prospect Street

The John Hay Library is the home of the Burning Deck archives; in addition, the library holds a trove of materials related to Keith and Rosmarie Waldrop, including books and broadsides. Materials from the library’s collection will be on display during this one-hour open house.

 

1 November at noon,  McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown Street, Room 132

Also available via Zoom at https://brown.zoom.us/j/98519011739

This session will include presentations by Jocelyn Camp, Peter Gizzi, Michelle Massé, Jennifer Moxley, and Teresa Villa-Ignacio and will be hosted by Matthew Shenoda

 

1 November at 3 pm, via Zoom at https://brown.zoom.us/j/94172783692

This session will include presentations by Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, Francoise de Laroque, Xue Di, Forrest Gander, Susan Howe, Aaron B. Kunin, Carole Maso, Jerrold Shiroma, Marjorie Welish, and Janet Zweig and will be hosted by Gale Nelson

 

1 November at 7 pm, McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown Street, Room 132

Also available via Zoom at https://brown.zoom.us/j/95634193165

This session will include presentations by Susan Bernstein, Lee Ann Brown, Laynie Browne, Tracy Grinnell, Hank Hine, Paol Keineg, Ben Lerner, Pam Rehm, Eleni Sikelianos and Spatulate Church Emergency Shift (Kate Colby and Darcie Dennigan) and will be hosted by Cole Swensen

Keith Waldrop

photo of Keith Waldrop holding painting by William Benson taken by Naomi Wang