Off the Frack: Local Poet Plumbs Environment for Topics
(Posted October 15, 2015)
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Julia Spicher Kasdorf gave a reading of her poetry in Beeghley Library at Juniata College as a part of the Pennsylvania Poet Series on Wednesday, Oct. 7. A professor of English and women's studies at Penn State University, Kasdorf is from Pennsylvania and bases much of her poetry around her and others' experiences. Unlike much traditional poetry writing, she uses quotes and people's experiences to send a message and tell their stories.
When Kasdorf writes a poem, she says they "belong to the readers. They are not mine anymore." She invites her audience to interpret her poetry as they will and reflect on her and their own ideas.
Fracking has largely grown as an industry in Kasdorf's lifetime, and her current project is a collation of Western Pennsylvanians' experiences. "I grew up in Western Pennsylvania at the tail end of the coal mining and the steel industry. They were parts of the landscape. I saw strip mining and thought we were done after that, and now we have this new form of extraction," she says.
Kasdorf wants people to understand the environmental and social consequences of fossil fuels. "I think we've learned nothing. We are just going to do this all over again." Five of her poems about fracking have been published so far, with more to come in the future.
Much of her inspiration comes from church hymns and biblical tales. "I just love language, stories and listening to people talk," concludes Kasdorf. She suggests that aspiring poets read as much as possible and listen to others closely.
By: Alex Webb '18, Juniata Online Journalist
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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.