In order for students to gain appreciation for poetry, on April 6 and 7, Michelle Boisseau, poet and associate professor of English at University of Missouri-Kansas City will be visiting the campus of Missouri Southern. The event will be held in the Spiva Art Gallery.

She is being presented by the department of English.

Boisseau has several works of poetry to her credit including “Why You Said It,” “The Next Child,” “A Sunday in God Years.”

She has also written books of poems including No Private Life, Understory and most recently Trembling Air.

The departments of English and philosophy began fund-raising to bring nationally known poets to campus with the evenings of “Polyphony: Writers Reading” and “Polyphony II.”

During the event, English and philosophy faculty members got to read pieces of their own work in front of an audience and collected funds for the effort.

“Our goal is to make sure at least once a year we have a visiting writer,” said Dr. William Kumbier, professor of English.

“We’re working from the ground up.”

“She’s going to do a reading Thursday night, and Friday morning she’s going to do an informal discussion.”

Kumbier said he heard Boisseau speak in Pittsburg and thought she could bring something positive to anyone on campus with an interest in poetry.

“Also, because she deals with things I think our students can relate to, it’s interesting to see how poetry comes out of everyday experiences,” he said.

Kumbier said it will give students the opportunity to hear a “fresh voice.”

“We have good poets here at Southern, but I think it helps our students to hear from someone who’s not on our faculty,” Kumbier said.

Dr. Joy Dworkin, professor of English, said it is easier for students to appreciate poetry outside of the classroom.

“I think it’s important for students to be directly exposed to live artists,” Dworkin, said. “It’s something that comes to life when you hear a reading.”

“Hearing poetry by a living poet is much different than reading a book. Poetry needs to be heard not just read silently”.

Kumbier said the event is open to anyone, but most likely students from the English classes will be in attendance.

“We are going to try to do it every year,” Kumbier said.

The funds for guest speakers will continue to be raised through donations and fund-raising.

It is also donated through the faculty development program.

Kumbier said student involvement is always welcome.

“We’ve heard that students want to have a poetry reading to help us raise money for it,” Kumbier said.

He said he hopes for a good turnout.

“If they make the effort to come hear her, I think they’ll like her.”

Boisseau is the winner of the Samuel French Morse Prize and has had work featured in The North American, The Southern Review and The Ohio Review.