Sitting in the audience of the Alumni Poets Reading this past Thursday evening, I had the honor of listening to two very different poets read their original works. Listening to a poet read their own work is a wonderful way to begin to understand their writing – the movement is particular, and the exquisiteness of images, metaphors, and chosen words is communicated best by their creator.

The first alum to read was Lesley Hardy, reading from her first book of poetry, Dreaming of Zeus. Hardy completed her undergraduate studies at Miami and went on to live in Tokyo for several years where she taught English and consulted for senior management in a large Japanese communications group company and in a Swiss luxury brand operating in Tokyo. Her past with
writing has been extensive and vast in range. She has written scripts, historical fiction, and short stories, some set in a university town in Ohio during various decades of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Dreaming of Zeus was published by Isobar Press, a Japanese press that specializes in English writing.

The first poems Hardy read were set in present day Ohio, but as her mythological title implies, the poems progressed into poems of Greek myth. She recites a poem that tells the story of Persephone, and another about her in a different light. Hardy’s choice of words was emphasized by her raspy voice; the combination is what made her poetry come to life. Hardy is a petite woman, but when she recited her poems her presence took up the entire room and captivated her audience.

The second poet was Tasha Golden, another alum who did her graduate work at Miami. She is more commonly recognized as the front woman and songwriter for the critically acclaimed band Ellery. Their songs have been heard in several movies and TV shows such as No Strings Attached and The Lying Game. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Louisville where she researches the impact of the arts on stigmatized issues and leads creative writing workshops for incarcerated female teens – this alum does it all and more.

Golden read from her new and first book of poetry, Once You Had Hands which explores violence and sexuality in both intimate relationships and religion. Her poetry was whimsical in nature, but dealt with such harsh subject matter that the juxtaposition of the two opposites made for a great reading. Golden also had a very distinct voice; when talking before reciting her poems she was spunky and extroverted, bright-eyed and engaging the crowd. But when reading, she became quiet spoke in a tone filled with deep emotion. The most impactful moment was when Golden read a poem about dealing with her feelings towards God and then left a pause of stillness before going into another emotional poem. By pausing and going into another poem without stopping to speak or explain, her poetry spoke for itself and was so much louder and clearer than anything Golden could have said instead.

Maggie Ark
Professional Writing ’16