How does poetry defend itself in the court of philosophy? Does it have any say in the matter; or does someone, or something, speak on its behalf? Does philosophy, in a perverse inversion, ever get tried in the court of poetry? This reading group places itself in the thick of these trials, tracing the debates they wage and the judgements they provoke. Readings will include 21st century texts that have taken the challenging entanglement of poetics and philosophy forward. These texts will be read beside the poems they discuss or the poems that suggest themselves through the text. We invite students and Faculty members from Departments across the University to join us!

Session 1: The Affect of Poetry

Rei Terada, 'Looking Away: Phenomenality and Dissatisfaction', Kant to Adorno (p.35-73)

Adrienne Rich: 'What is Found There'

Samuel Taylor Coleridge: 'Constancy to an Ideal Object'

Vinod Kumar Shukla: 'I Toss a Bunch of Keys'

Guest Discussant: Dr Stacey McDowell