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Charles Simic Lecture

The Poetry Society's Annual Lecture in its centenary year: The State of the Art, with Charles Simic

Renowned poet Charles Simic will draw on his
experiences as Poet Laureate of the United States to
deliver a lecture that will inform, entertain and make
some startling conclusions about the state of the art.

During his time as Poet Laureate, Simic discovered that
people who read and write poetry are engaged in a wide
range of activities – from the hundreds of reading
series and magazines, to websites that are sparking
discussions about poetry.

New technology has led to a poetry without borders:
websites such as ‘Page’ and ‘Poetry Daily’ list every
review, article and new collection, and provide links to
all the important literary magazines published in the
USA and the UK. Alongside all of these, the American
Academy of Poets, Poetry Magazine and The Library
of Congress have websites with an immense amount
of information about poets and poetry. There are small
book presses and organizations like Associated Writing
Programs, all of which place poetry as a key state on
the cultural map.

So, has new technology given poetry a passport into
new territories?

Charles Simic Annual Lecture

This event will be hosted by Anne-Marie Fyfe, chair of The Poetry Society

Venue: Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4QH

Tickets: £12 / £8 (concs and Poetry Society members)

Bookings: 0207 392 9200 or events@bishopsgate.org.uk (advance booking required)