Emporia native shares historic, Flint Hills-inspired poetry

Kansas poet Laureate Denise Low visited Emporia State on April 10 in Webb Lecture Hall of the Memorial Union to read selections of her poetry.

“I enjoyed the event quite a lot,” said Sarah Hall, freshman undecided major. “She had an interesting way and tone when reading her poetry that I wouldn’t have expected. The way she said certain words when reading and slowed down at some parts and paused in certain places, well…those aren’t mechanics that are written into poetry. Instead, they are the natural and creative tendencies that only a writer of the work can add and even though they are small changes it will completely change the tone of the poetry.”

Kevin Rabas, assistant professor of English, introduced Low by mentioning her many accomplishments, including her published works and awards. Low then took the podium. Throughout every piece of poetry that she read she included a short background history about the piece or how she had been inspired to write it. Low was born and partly raised in Emporia; so much of her poetry is inspired by the Flint Hills.

Low opened with a poem inspired by the jazz music that had been prevalent in her home as a child. The next poem was another one inspired from her father. Low told the story of when she had lived in Emporia when her father had worked for the Santa Fe railroad. Once when she was a little girl he had snuck her onto a train. Although it was clearly against the rules, she loved it and has never forgotten it.

“I don’t have a certain time of the day that I write,” Low said. “I don’t have a time that I’m inspired. I’m past the point of just writing to write; instead I take inspiration whenever I can get it, no matter the time of day or place.”

Following these poems she went into some of her more historic poetry. Low enjoys exploring history, especially that of Kansas, because it is such a strong point of interest in her life.

Her next poem was in reference to Carry A. Nation, for whom Low has great admiration. The poem from Nation’s point of view as a narrator and one of the lines include, “I am the bulldog of Jesus barking at things he does not like.”

Another historic aspect in which Low has great interest is the Native Americans. One of the poems included an incident in Lawrence where Walt Whitman came into town for an anniversary, and the mayor took him to the local jail where he met a band of Cheyenne Native Americans who were being imprisoned. Low went on to talk of how even though the Native Americans showed contempt for the mayor they showed complete respect to Whitman. This incident inspired another of Low’s poems.

“The history that she gave behind each of the poems she read really helped me in understanding the imagery that she used,” said Mark Brinkman, sophomore biology major. “She was very descriptive in her poems. My favorite was ‘Geronimo’s Boots’; you could imagine the event so well when she read it.”

“Geronimo’s Boots” tells of one of Low’s friends who had at one time owned Geronimo’s boots or moccasins along with those of his wife and daughters. He owned them for 30 years but then he sold them in an auction. The poem told a tale of how Geronimo’s boots left town.

“I would tell young writers to read as much as you can and read widely,” Low said. “With as much that has been written, no one will tell a story the way that you will write it. I use a great deal of nature in my poetry because you can’t ignore nature. It follows our lives like the progression of old age, so of course it’s inspiring.”