Famous poet draws enthusiastic crowd

It's unusual to have a room fill up half an hour prior to the scheduled start for a speaker in the Kelly Writers House. It is even more unusual to have people listen in from outside the window. But then again, it's not every day that American poet Robert Creeley, considered one of the pre-eminent living poets, comes to Penn. Creeley spoke at the Writers House last night before a filled-to-capacity crowd of more than 100 visiting scholars, professors and students. The crowd was so large that it stretched into several different rooms of the house. Creeley came to Penn as part of the Writers House Fellows program, an initiative made possible by a grant from alumnus Paul Kelly that allows students to meet face to face with important contemporary writers. Author Grace Paley came to the Writers House in mid-February as part of the same program, and author John Edgar Wideman will visit in late April. Last night, Creeley read about 15 of his poems and the works of other contemporary artists, as well. He shared some personal anecdotes, including one about how listening to a rap CD inspired him to write "Help," a poem that he then proceeded to rap. Creeley was introduced by Al Filreis, the faculty director of the Writers House, who described the poet as "the friendliest famous poet possible." College junior Leigh Esposito, a student in the Writers House Fellows seminar, told the audience that her exposure to poetry had been limited prior to reading Creeley. She said his poems, however, allowed her to see "the beauty of poetry and the power of words." "He is the most mesmerizing poet I've ever read, and one of the most direct poets there is," Esposito said after the reading. A Massachusetts native, Creeley was influenced by famous American poet and Penn alumnus William Carlos Williams. The author of numerous collections of poems -- including For Love, Pieces and The Finger -- Creeley's publishing career has spanned more than three decades. Today, Creeley lives in Buffalo, N.Y., and teaches poetry at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has won numerous national awards and honors, including two Guggenheim Fellowships and a Rockefeller Grant. Creeley told the audience that his poetry is characterized by the use and interplay of sound and rhythm. "I was fascinated by what stringing of sounds were possible," Creeley said. Even American poet Allen Ginsberg, one of the leaders of the Beatniks, once revered Creeley's "syllable by syllable intelligence." "Creeley is an excellent poet and among the most famous contemporary poets. He perpetuates the practice of poetry and it was enjoyable to hear him speak," area poet Joanne Lichtman said. Writers House Director Kerry Sherin added, "He showed incredible sensitivity to sound and showed versatility in his poetry. His poetry is deeply American in style, highly condensed, and his poetry is my personal favorite." In addition to his open reading last night, which drew one of the largest crowds in the Writers House this year, Creeley will have brunch today with select students and professors. He will also participate in a live interview broadcast over the Internet, thereby making his comments available to people all over the world. Yesterday, he attended Filreis' seminar on "Contemporary American Literature." "Creeley was amazing in that he is really funny, witty and humble. His poetry made me think of images while I was listening to him," said Gina Renzi, a Temple University junior.