Hickory – Joyce Compton Brown, professor emerita of English at Gardner-Webb University, will be the featured poet at Poetry Hickory on Tuesday, February 12, at 7pm at Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse in downtown Hickory.
Dr. Brown taught at Gardner Webb University for 39 years, and she sometimes taught a course called “The Poetry of Contemporary Music.” She states that her newest book of poetry, “Singing with Jarred Edges” captures her thoughts on all types of songs and musicians, conveying her interest in ancient ballads and old-time banjo, as well as more modern singers and songwriters.
Best-selling poet and novelist, Ron Rash, says “Brown’s new book is like the best bluegrass music. There is a strong sense of longing and loss, yet what is passing or past is honored through her artistry.”
Brown’s collection has also been recommended by Jim Clark, a poet and musicologist who teaches at Barton College in Wilson, N.C., and Lee Smith, a nationally-recognized author whose best-selling novels are set in the Blue Ridge Mountains.Brown has published her work in a wide array of journals and anthologies.
Her chapbook, Bequest, was published in 2015 by Finishing Line Press, and she was featured poet at the Doris Betts Literary Festival in 2016.
An Open Mic will follow Brown’s reading. Anyone may read but must register at Taste Full Beans before 7pm the evening of the event.
For information, contact Hickory poet and Lenoir Rhyne professor, Scott Owens, at 828-234-4266 or [email protected] Poetry Hickory is free and open to the public. Photo: Dr. Joyce Compton Brown.
