"The Poet-Professor"
OLLI Member Ann Grogan shared a celebration of Huck's poetry classes through her own original poem: "The Poet-Professor." Read Ann's work below and discover more about her passion for music and poetry on her website (https://www.rhapsodydmb.com/).
The Poet-Professor*
by Ann Grogan
I have so long been thirsting to dive
into these poets by name or fame,
known to me but not in depth
or sadly, not at all--pure shame!
Then comes a happy serendipity--
a lead to one who loves the word
no less the ideas of the poets
and the essential truths that they heard
and took their time to write self down,
or offspring of poet-progenitors
who loved as well their heavenly song
then printed poems and opened doors
through which the Professor sang their song,
setting his aside, a moment's rest,
to sing the laurels of kings and knaves
and queenly things from the best,
that time permits. We thought to learn
about the poets, both he and she
and in between; in truth we did
but more on the plate we soon did see.
We explored the Greats in name and fame,
their lives and muse. To learn, we thought
a simple read was all one needed,
yet more of life was clearly wrought;
for learned I then, about myself,
my life, my dreams, and then my mother,
my petty cares–and what was better:
my work, my soul, and nature's wonders.
My world expanded though his words,
and curtains raised and choirs did sing
from poetic secrets he revealed,
and peace descended and bells did ring!
_______
*By serendipity, one day last fall I backdoored into an introduction to Huck Gutman, a Professor Emeritus of poetry from the University of Vermont, and read some of his
poems and stories. I was first inspired to write a blog (https://www.rhapsodydmb.com/post/sliding-seamlessly-past-essential-truths). Then I learned that he was teaching two months of weekly zoom classes, each
one featuring one poet and their notable poems (See, UVM-Campus Life-Long-Learning Institute <CampusOLLI@uvm.edu).
This poem is one result of the results of the Professor’s efforts.
