Gina Nespoli
Published: October 25, 2006
On Oct. 11, PJC hosted Mark Doty, author of seven books of poems and three volumes of memoirs. I was ecstatic that I got to hear him read his poetry. I also had the opportunity to ask questions and hear about his influences for each poem.
He opened with a slightly offbeat poem he referred to as his “jellyfish poem.” It was an exceptional poem about explaining the unexplainable, such as the consistency and shape of a jellyfish. I was entranced as he vividly explained a recent encounter he had with a school of jellyfish. Throughout his readings, Doty emphasized on certain words and syllables while using facial expressions to capture attention. His vocabulary is expansive, at times exceeding mine, yet his tone eased my understanding.
His poems featured whales, past lovers and near death experiences. They seemed to interconnect, making one story. Doty expresses his life through his words, and I encourage everyone to read his work.
I don’t know if I will ever get the chance to listen to him again. I do know that in March 2007 his newest book of poems comes out – entitled “Dog Years” – and I’m buying it.