New Hampshire Poet Laureate Jennifer Militello will present a public poetry reading at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, at Colby-Sawyer College. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place in the Cleveland Colby Colgate Archives at the Susan Colgate Cleveland Library/Learning Center.
Militello, a highly regarded poet, has received praise from some of the most influential voices in poetry. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Charles Simic once described her as “one of the finest poets of her generation, an immensely original poet who has enriched American literature since her first book.”
A Celebrated Literary Career
Militello’s debut poetry collection, “Anchor Chain, Open Sail,” was published in 2006. She has since released several other works, including the 2019 memoir “Knock Wood,” which won the Dzanc Nonfiction Prize. Her upcoming hybrid collection, “Identifying the Pathogen,” was a finalist for the Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Prize.
Her poetry has appeared in some of the most prestigious literary publications, including The Best American Poetry, Best New Poets, American Poetry Review, The Nation, The New Republic, The Paris Review, Poetry London, and The Poetry Review.
In addition to her writing, Militello is a respected educator. She is the director of the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at New England College and has previously taught at Brown University, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and the Rhode Island School of Design.
A Special Opportunity for Students
Before her public reading, Militello will meet with Colby-Sawyer Professor Ewa Chrusciel’s intermediate creative writing class to discuss her memoir, Knock Wood. Chrusciel emphasized the significance of this opportunity, noting that students have been studying Militello’s poems and poetic essays in class.
“Her poems are punctuated by passion and grief via hauntingly dense, dark, and luminous images,” said Chrusciel.
Role as New Hampshire Poet Laureate
Militello began her five-year term as New Hampshire’s Poet Laureate in April 2024. In this role, she serves as an ambassador for poets, working to promote poetry’s visibility and cultural importance across the state.
Her upcoming reading at Colby-Sawyer College offers a unique opportunity for poetry lovers and students alike to experience her powerful work in person.
Related topics: