February 09, 2023
SIU’s Paul Simon Institute to host acclaimed poet Allison Joseph
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Allison Joseph, an acclaimed poet and the director of Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing, will participate next week in the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute’s “Illinois Authors” series.
Joseph will join John Shaw, institute director, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, via Zoom for “The Power and Purpose of Poetry,” a discussion of her literary work and teaching at SIU. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register.
Joseph is also the editor of the “Crab Orchard Review” and director of the Young Writers Workshop, an annual summer residential creative writing program for high school writers. Joseph was named the 2022 Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English, which annually chooses an author who lives, has lived in or has written about Illinois to honor for their excellence in writing. She also recently won the 2022 Poetry by the Sea book contest for her 2021 work, “Lexicon.”
Joseph has also won the John C. Zacharis First Book Prize and received several fellowships. Her books include “What Keeps Us Here,” “Soul Train,” “In Every Seam,” “Imitation of Life,” “Worldly Pleasures” and “Confessions of a Barefaced Woman.”
“Professor Joseph’s poetry is powerful, vivid and accessible to all readers. We are eager to learn more about her career as an accomplished writer and an inspiring teacher,” Shaw said.
The institute’s “Illinois Authors” series are discussions with the writers who bring the Prairie State to life.
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Joseph on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.