| Each Fall and Spring for eleven years running, Old Dominion
University has sponsored a Literary Festival. The Literary
Festival consists of discussions, lectures, and fiction
and poetry readings by some of the university's and the
country's most heralded and influential professors, writers
and poets. For ODU students, the Literary Festival is
a valuable gift, being both an excellent intellectual
enterprise and a safe economic venture (the Literary Festival
is free of charge, except for the opening fund-raisers). |
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| Typically, the evening editions of the
Literary Festival were held in the auditorium of the MGB
building. Happily, the new University Theatre has been
completed in the Technology Building. Hencforth, evening
readings may be attended within the tasteful comfort of
this most recent addition to Old Dominion's Arts and Letters
Department. Given the negative aspects of Old Dominion's
Expansive Progression into a huge monstrosity of a school,
things such as over-crowded classrooms, over-crowded parking
lots, and insufficient housing, students should be anxious
to enjoy the positive things that ODU's growth has bestowed
upon them. The Literary Festival is an excellent opportunity
for students to enrich themselves intellectually and take
a look at where some of their money is going at the same
time. On Thursday, Sept. 22, W.D. Snodgrass and Donald
Hall kicked off ODU's eleventh Literary Festival. Snodgrass
read his selections first, followed by Hall, each in a
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of comfortable familiarity typical
of old friends, which suggested that the order of appearance
was probably designated by the nonchalant toss of a coin. This
sphere of nonchalance and ease in no way betrayed, however,
the undeniable quality of both poets. Snodgrass read from his
selections which remark so poignantly on the human condition.
His humility masked his depth of perception, hiding pleas for
humanity in seemingly simple, calm often humorous remarks such
as, "Come to my orchard, no two trees look alike."
The humility of Snodgrass came across in less subtle ways, as
when remarking of his colleague's long since shaved beard and
regarding his own very full he intoned, "I believe that
as the walls begin to fall down, you put up higher bushes."
Hall's selections more openly attacked civilization's recent
developments than did those of Snodgrass. In counter balance
to Snodgrass, Hall engaged in a full frontal arbalest against
the materialism, self-indulgence and lack of humanity which
has characterized the last decade. Using a repetitive opening
of "I reject," Hall listed material objects and the
warped ideas which exalt them, expressing angrily his reaction
to the evolution of the yuppie. The ideas of both Snodgrass
and Hall were extremely well expressed. Each poet gave his student
listeners an invaluable gift: the opportunity to think. Regardless
of whether or not one agrees with the poet or the reader, one
cannot help but benefit from one who provokes thought. This
is the single most significant thing a college student can do.
In conclusion, the Literary Festival is an excellent gift, one
which ODU students can profit greatly from. Hopefully, students
will be perceptive enough to do so. |
