The Massachusetts Poetry Festival 2015

In the "post-racial" Obama era, the nation remains racially polarized, as the tragedy and protests in Ferguson, Missouri amply demonstrate. How can a poet write truthfully about the complexity and contradictions of race in America? How can a poet balance the message in the poem with the demands of poetry? How can a poet speak on behalf of his or her community, and yet empathize with other communities? How can a poet channel anger into art, risking the alienation of the audience for the sake of honesty?

Martin Espada is often called “the Latino poet of his generation.” Poet John Murillo is the son of an African-American father and a Mexican mother. Richard Michelson is a Jewish poet who grew up in an African-American neighborhood. They will read from their work and discuss the risks and responsibilities of addressing race in poetry.