KU News Release

Joseph Harrington, William J. Harris and Kenneth Irby

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• Department of English

LAWRENCE — Three faculty members in the Department of English at the University of Kansas will reprise a previously held poetry reading at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Central Court in the Spencer Museum of Art.

“New Work, a Late Afternoon Poetry Reading” will feature Joseph Harrington, William J. Harris and Kenneth Irby, all associate professors of English. The event is sponsored by the Spencer museum and is free and open to the public.

“The last time we read together was back in 2007, and that went very well,” said Harris. “We had a full house — students, local poets, faculty and town folks. So Joe, Ken and I decided since we all have new work and work coming out, it would be a good time to read to the community again. Lawrence has a great poetry community. We are very lucky in that. Moreover, the Spencer was generous enough to provide us with a venue again. ”

Harrington is the author of the critical study, “Poetry and the Public” (Wesleyan), and his creative work has appeared in “Otoliths,” “Fact-Simile,” “With+Stand” and elsewhere. Excerpts from his book, “Things Come On (an amneoir)” have recently appeared in “Hotel Amerika,” “Cricket Online Review” and “P-Queue.”

Harris is the author of “Hey Fella Would You Mind Holding This Piano A Moment” and “In My Own Dark Way.” Beyond his work appearing in 50 anthologies, he has recently published poems in African American Review, Locuspoint and the Mochila Review and has a booklet, “Personal Questions,” forthcoming from the bilingual Roman publisher, Leconte.

Irby’s recent books include “In Denmark,” “Studies” and “Ridge to Ridge.” One of his poems was chosen for the Best Poetry of 2004 and his volume “The Intent On: Collected Poems, 1992-2006” is due to be published by North Atlantic Books in December.