Verso University Presents: 'Out of the Marvelous': The Poetry of Seamus Heaney

Register Here: FREE

Course Dates: Wednesdays, July 9, 16, & 23

Explore the poetry of Seamus Heaney with Westport Poet Laureate Donna Disch in this three-part Verso University seminar. Widely recognized as one of the major poets of the 20th century, Heaney was the author of over 20 volumes of poetry and criticism. In 1995, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature "for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past."

Course Structure

First session: Participants will begin with a brief biography followed by poems that focus on mid-century farm life in Northern Ireland: the balm and love of the land, the wealth and rootedness of family, the enduring power of memory and the simple splendor of rural Irish life.

Second session: Participants will explore poems that address the Troubles in Ireland, ignited in the late '60s and lasting until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. We will discuss Whatever You Say, Say Nothing and closely analyze four of Heaney’s bog poems.

Third session: Participants will sample Heaney's acclaimed translation of Beowulf, A New Verse Translation (1999), and finish with some of his celebrated, latter poems such as Mint, Postscript and Kite for Aibhin.

All three sessions will include recordings and videos. Luminosity guaranteed.

About the Instructor

Donna Disch has been a teacher and editor as well as a lifelong reader, writer, and beneficiary of the art and craft of poetry. She holds an MFA from Vermont College and has published her work in various journals and magazines. She is currently Westport’s Poet Laureate.

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About Verso University

Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly. 

 Important Information About Verso University Classes: 

• Classes are structured as a consecutive series. 
• Class size is limited. 
• Each series has a one-time fee registration fee, covering all classes in the series. 
• Registration is mandatory. 
• The Westport Library wants to ensure that all interested students are able to participate in Verso University courses. If the registration fee is a barrier to entry for you, please contact jconnon@westportlibrary.org. 

Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund. 

Spotlight on Poetry