As part of the English and Modern Foreign Language Departments Writers Series, poet Richard Jackson visited Lee’s campus last Wednesday.

Jackson, Professor of English at UT-Chattanooga, is the author of four books of poems, which have all received various awards and accolades.

During his visit, Jackson read his poems and also chatted with the crowd about why he wrote certain poems and what they meant to him.

“The first time (I read my poetry for an audience), I didn’t know what the heck was going on,” Jackson said. “The first time you hear a song or poem or anything like that, don’t try to understand everything—that’s the best way to listen.

Jackson then expressed that he often writes his poems based on a famous classical or biblical character. The poem is written from the character’s point of view.

“If they were alive today, what would they say,” Jackson said.

Poems about troubled biblical characters such as Cain and Samson revealed starkly honest details about the world today.

Jackson was very willing to talk with the crowd and jokes with them between readings. When he noticed someone taking notes, he was humbly surprised that someone was doing so.

This humbleness was an apparent attribute of Jackson, which only showed further throughout the reading.

When the poetry reading was finished, Jackson answered a few questions from students.

“Like every writer must do, I’ve found a voice that I’m comfortable with.” Jackson said. “I didn’t even have a good voice, so, realizing that poems need only be spoken, I started writing poems.”