Students listen and engage in Poetry and Prose

By Melissa Boyd (WhetstoneStaff Writer)

More than 100 students and faculty turned out to hear six writers read their poetry and prose on Jan. 25.

The readings were organized and introduced by Victor Greto, assistant professor of Media Arts.

Freshman Erin Bifferato said she liked what she heard.

“I write poetry and short stories myself, so I enjoyed all of it,” she said.

Bifferato said she also liked that the writers talked about how they worked.

“They talked about the process of becoming a writer and what to do once you become one,” she said.

Greto introduced each of the writers, starting with Billie Travalini, the editor of their book “No Place Like Here: An Anthology of Southern Delaware Poetry and Prose,” a recently-published collection of poetry, fiction, essays and photographs relating to southern Delaware.

“Southern Delaware has its own flavor, and half of my heart belongs there,” Travalini said. “If you really love something, you love the wholeness of it. It was a lot of work composing and editing the book, but it was worth it because our voices are worth it.”

Students also came to the event because some professors encouraged it.

Some of the professors, who attended the event, encouraging their students to come as well included Dr. Susan Bobby, associate professor of English; Dr. Jeffrey Gibson, associate professor of English; Dr. James Wilson, assistant professor of music; Dr. Tery Griffin, associate professor of media arts; and Dr. Frances Riddle, coordinator of academic advisement.

“My professor recommended that we come and I like poetry,” said freshman Brian Baker, who has Greto for Literature for Composition. “I write a little poetry myself and I thought it’d be fun to see what the professionals say.”

Baker said his own professor’s piece of nonfiction, a reflective piece about his father’s death, was his favorite. He said his second favorite was Abby Millager’s poetry about the sounds of the surf on the beach.

“I enjoyed them all, but those two stood out to me the most,” he said. “I liked Abby’s mental images, too.”

Millager’s piece, she said, was written while she was sitting on the beach.

“With poetry, you can get away with more sound and less meaning,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be completely understood. It’s like modern art.”

Frank Fiedler, associate professor of math, came to the event as well as enjoyed the readings.

“It was great,” he said. “I did like Professor Greto’s. It was very personal. My second favorite was (“The Language of Crows” by Vanessa Haley), especially after she put it in context.”

Greto said his piece was an attempt at a personal essay.

“Writing about my father’s death was clarifying,” he said.