Pulitzer poet Paul Muldoon to visit St Andrews

Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Paul Muldoon, will discuss his craft and perform readings of his work during a visit to the University of St Andrews this week.

Professor Muldoon is an honorary professor of the University’s School of English, and will take part in two sessions open to the public on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th May, 2003.

Muldoon has recently been named the winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his latest collection, Moy Sand and Gravel, which is his 25th published volume of poetry.

His reading, which promises its audience a rare treat, ends on a high note the first academic year of The Poetry House, the largest building in Britain devoted to the writing and reading of poetry.

On Thursday 8th May, Muldoon will join the Dundee poet Don Paterson – also a lecturer at St Andrews – and the scientists Professor Wilson Sibbett and Dr Andrew Riches, for a workshop discussing ‘A Tissue of Lies? Contemporary Poetry and Contemporary Science’. The workshop forms part of a wider dialogue between poets and scientists, The Contemporary Poetry and Contemporary Science Project, sponsored, among others, by the University, The Wellcome Trust and StAnza: Scotland’s Poetry Festival.

On Friday 9th May, Muldoon will perform a poetry reading and host a book signing session at the University’s School of English.

Muldoon is currently based at Princeton University, where he is Howard G.B. Clark Professor of Humanities and Creative Writing. His poetry is well-known both for its depth and range of allusion and for its virtuosic verbal games. He commends the habit of learning and speaking individual poems aloud and professes to enjoy sharing a poem with an audience ‘as if reading it for the first time’.

‘A Tissue of Lies? Contemporary Poetry and Contemporary Science’ workshop with Paul Muldoon, Don Paterson, Wilson Sibbet and Andrew Riches will be held on Thursday 8th May at 4pm at The Poetry House (Room 30), The Scores, St Andrews.

Paul Muldoon’s poetry reading and book signing session will take place on Friday 9th May at 5.15 pm in Kennedy Hall (Room 1), School of English, The Scores, St Andrews.

Members of the general public are welcome at both these events. Those interested should contact the School of English on 01334 462666.

ENDS

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews Contact Gayle Cook on 01334 467227, mobile 07900 050103, or email [email protected] Ref: Paul Muldoon visit pr 060503 View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk