Metro State University to Host an Afternoon of Poetry and Conversation

(St. Paul) – April is National Poetry Month, an annual observation to pay tribute to the great legacy and ongoing achievement of American poets, and the vital place of poetry in American culture. A special event is planned at Metro State University in St. Paul to celebrate.

On Tuesday, April 11, 2023, between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Metro State Associate Professor of Fine Arts Suzanne Nielsen will lead a discussion about the poems in her book, “FaceUp: A Collection of Outlaw Poems”. The event will be held in Room 306 of Metro State University’s St. Paul campus library and learning center, located at 645 7th Street East, St. Paul, MN 55106.

“FaceUp: A Collection of Outlaw Poems” serves as a springboard for conversations about moments when facing up to something, or someone, is the only way out of a dilemma. Nielsen makes her depression and hearing loss part of the story, but they are not center stage.

Through her poems, readers get a glimpse into what it is like to deal with mental illness, alcoholism, parenting, breast cancer, and being an adoptee from a disability perspective. Metro State students and faculty will read original work that speaks to facing up, and engage in a panel discussion. Attendees will be entered to win several prizes from the publisher.

“FaceUp: A Collection of Outlaw Poems” won the 2021 Oleb Books Poetry Prize. Oleb Books is a Minneapolis-based publishing house for writers with disabilities. The event will be streamed live and closed captioning will be provided.

More information, including a registration link for the event, can be found online at OlebBooks.com. This event is sponsored by The College of Liberal Arts at Metro State University.