The Wick Poetry Center hosted a poetry reading by poets Daniel Carter and Allison Davis on Wednesday at the Student Center.

The event was part of the Wick’s Poetry Reading Series, which highlights new and upcoming poets as well as nationally recognized writers and poet laureates. Carter and Davis are both past winners of the Wick Chapbook Competition, which provides poets from all across Ohio with the chance to have their poetry published by Kent State University Press.

Daniel Carter read several selections from his winning chapbook, “Here Both Sweeter,” before continuing with more recent material. His newer work included experimental poems in the science-fiction genre, as well as “The Devil’s Bone” which he called a “baroque form.”

Carter concluded his portion of the reading with several poems about “Miller’s Ridge,” a fictional television series that he describes as a combination of “Twin Peaks” and “General Hospital.” The titles of each poem were taken from television episodes, and they tell a story through camera directions, descriptions of music and episode summaries.

Allison Davis read poems from her chapbook “Poppy Seeds.” The title refers to the dotted appearance of vowels in Hebrew poetry. Her poems take inspiration from traditional Yiddish poets as well as her own family history and hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.

Many of Davis’s poems are retellings the stories her parents and grandparents have told her. These include “Night Portrait of a Motel Clerk,” a poem about her great grandfather, as well as a poem about her parents’ memories of the day the Beatles broke up. Her poem “Gust Martin” is about the way the English language developed due to speakers from many different places coming together to work in the Merchant Marines.

Integrated language arts major Katie Welling attended the event after reading the poets’ chapbooks in her Creative Writing class. She especially enjoyed Allison Davis’ poetry.

“It was really touching how all of her family came out to support her,” Welling said.

Freshman English major Joe Langan said he found the reading very inspiring.

“I liked that they both had very different styles,” Langan said. “Both were excellent speakers and masters of lyricism.”

He found Daniel Carter’s “Miller’s Ridge” poems to be unique and original.

After the reading, the poets were available to speak with visitors. Copies of their chapbooks, published by Kent State University Press, were available for sale and to be signed.

More information future about Wick Poetry Center readings can be found at https://www.kent.edu/wick/readingseries/index.cfm.

Contact Jason Meek at [email protected].