On Tuesday, November  19, 7:30 PM in the Krannert Room of Clowes Hall, Slovenian avant-garde poet Tomaž Šalamun brings our fall Visiting Writers Series to a close. Author of over 30 books of poetry, translated to over 20 languages, Šalamun published his first book Poker at the tender age of 25. Perhaps more impressive, Šalamun was arrested at the tenderer age of 23, spending a few days in jail over his iconoclastic poem “Duma ’64,” in which he portrayed an important government official as a dead cat. Unsurprisingly, the official took umbrage.

Salamun has won a Pushcart Prize as well as the Jenko Prize and Slovenia’s Prešeren and Mladost Prizes. Now, I could give you more biography, but many moons ago Šalamun was helpful enough to publish autobiographical poem “History” in The Guardian. I haven’t read it, but I’m sure it will be both illuminating as well as mightily accurate. Here goes: Continue reading →

On Tuesday, November  19, 7:30 PM in the Krannert Room of Clowes Hall, Slovenian avant-garde poet Tomaž Šalamun brings our fall Visiting Writers Series to a close. Author of over 30 books of poetry, translated to over 20 languages, Šalamun published his first book Poker at the tender age of 25. Perhaps more impressive, Šalamun was arrested at the tenderer age of 23, spending a few days in jail over his iconoclastic poem “Duma ’64,” in which he portrayed an important government official as a dead cat. Unsurprisingly, the official took umbrage.

Salamun has won a Pushcart Prize as well as the Jenko Prize and Slovenia’s Prešeren and Mladost Prizes. Now, I could give you more biography, but many moons ago Šalamun was helpful enough to publish autobiographical poem “History” in The Guardian. I haven’t read it, but I’m sure it will be both illuminating as well as mightily accurate. Here goes: Continue reading →