File 029603
Letter from Harvard Professor Elisa New Inviting Guest for Poetry in America Series (File 029603)
A November 2018 letter from Harvard English Professor Elisa New to invite an unidentified recipient to appear as a guest on the Poetry in America television series, which has featured prominent public figures.
Summary
Harvard Professor Elisa New writes to invite a recipient (Ms. Williams) to participate as a featured guest on Poetry in America, a public television series that has hosted notable figures including Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and various celebrities. The proposed segment would involve reading and interpreting a Pulitzer Prize-winning poem by Sharon Olds titled 'The Language of the Brag.' The filmed content would be used in upcoming seasons of the series and in an online course for medical professionals being developed in partnership with Harvard Medical School.
HARVARD UNIVERSITYDEPARTMENT OF ENGLISHBarker Center - 12 Quincy Street - Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138ELISA NEWPowell M. Cabot Professor of American LiteratureNovember 25, 2018Dear Ms. Williams:Tel:Fax:I am writing now to invite you to be a featured guest of Poetry in America(poetryinamerica.org). Poetry in America's first season's guests included BillClinton, Joe Biden, Cynthia Nixon, Shaquille O'Neal, Yo Yo Ma, SamanthaPower, Herbie Hancock, John McCain, Nas, Angela Duckworth, Bono, ReginaSpektor, Frank Gehry, Stuart Weitzman, E.O. Wilson and many others. SeasonsTwo and Three will feature just as distinguished a line up. The series airs onpublic television stations everywhere, streams via Amazon Prime and otherstreaming services, and it is now also airing on a variety of domestic andinternational airlines.The poem we'd read and interpret together is by Pulitzer Prize winner, SharonOlds, and it's called "The Language of the Brag." It's a gutsy poem thatcompares feats of (male) athletic prowess-- and feats of poetic prowess-- tochildbirth. You are the ideal reader for this poem. We would use what wefilmed together in upcoming season of Poetry in America. I'll also use thecontent in an online course for medical professionals I am creating inpartnership with Harvard Medical School.I thank you for considering this request. I would be very honored to workwith you.Sincerely,Elisa NewDirector and Host of Poetry in AmericaPowell M. Cabot Professor, HarvardHOUSE OVERSIGHT 029603