Sean Thomas Dougherty at Drexel University Oct. 21, 2009

On Wednesday the 21st of October at Drexel University in the Bossone auditorium, for the first time I saw Sean Thomas Dougherty give a poetry reading. I’d heard that he was great from many people, but seeing him in real life really made a profound difference. Since he has videos available through BOA editions, which published Broken Halleleujahs, I won’t even try to describe the indescribable.

The audience, including mostly students— there may have been 70-80 there plus a half dozen faculty—was deeply moved. Students who are told to go to things are generally a tough crowd, but he really won them over.

What was almost as interesting as the reading itself was the Q&A afterwards. Students asked about many themes, including his spirituality, his influences, etc. He gave a long list of greats in his influences. But he also made a point of saying that the most important influence was Patrick Lawler. Yes, that Patrick Lawler published by MMM Press as well as some other fine presses.

Thanks to Harriet Levin and others at Drexel University for helping to make this possible!