The second entry in our blog series on writing and the life of faith is an interview with Michael Dennis Browne. Michael is a poet, librettist and professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota. He has published numerous books of poetry, essays, and texts for musical works. In collaboration with composer Stephen Paulus, he wrote the text for the Pulitzer Prize nominated post-Holocaust oratorio, To Be Certain of the Dawn. His most recent volume of poems, The Voices, is forthcoming from Carnegie Mellon University Press. Every summer since 2006, Michael has facilitated writing workshops at the Collegeville Institute. He returns this summer to lead the writing workshop Poetry, Prose and Prayer: A Week with Michael Dennis Browne. In this short video interview, Michael discusses his love of words, music, and the art of writing.
From the interview:
“Dylan Thomas calls a poem a ‘contribution to reality.’ And there are realities in our time that are unprecedented. This age has never been before. So we are witnesses, and it’s our job, to use language… as rhythmically as possible, as memorably as possible, to say what it’s like to be here now.”
—Michael Dennis Browne
Apply for the writing workshop:
Poetry, Prose and Prayer: A Week with Michael Dennis Browne (August 5-11, 2014).
Complete applications are due electronically by March 3, 2014.
Read more from the Faith & Writing series:
January 2, 2014—An Interview with Lauren Winner
Visit Michael’s website:
http://michaeldennisbrowne.com
Images: Pine Forest, Baker City, Oregon, via Google Images.
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Having had the distinct and life changing experience of participating in a workshop with Michael, it was a treat to watch this small offering. It brought back so many good memories as well as it was lovely to hear and see Michael again.
I have never heard or met Browne. But watching this snippet made me wish i was sitting there talking with him! There is a certain playfulness and yet severity that I sense he possesses. A lovely picture for me even I am thinking about my writing today. Thank you.