Wendy Xu: Why Write

Wendy Xu curates poems that underscore the necessity of attention for the writing of poems, reminding us that to write is to think, to look, and to be present. She introduces James Tate on bending reality through attention to everything (“Rescue”), Mei-mei Berssenbrugge on the connection between the spiritual and the somatic (“Hello, the Roses”), and Joyelle McSweeney on being unafraid of excess (“Percussion Grenade”). Xu closes with her poem “Why Write,” which engages with the past as a living, risky force.You can find the full recordings of Tate, Berssenbrugge, and McSweeney reading for the Poetry Center on Voca:James Tate (1968)Mei-mei Berssenbrugge (2010)Joyelle McSweeney (2012)