WMU HOME > ABOUT WMU > WMU NEWS Poet John Koethe opens spring Frostic Reading Series Jan. 1, 2005 KALAMAZOO--Award-winning poet John Koethe reads from his latest book, "North Pointe North," Thursday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m. in the Little Theatre at Western Michigan University. Koethe's presentation is the first in the Spring 2005 Gwen Frostic Reading Series, which is free and open to the public. "North Pointe North" is John Koethe's break out book. After the critical acclaim he received for his five earlier collections, including "The Late Wisconsin Spring" and "Falling Water," "North Pointe North" includes the best of his previous work together with some brilliant new material. Koethe's poetry is a profound meditation on existence and an uncompromising and candid evocation of the inner life of a man adrift at this turn of the century. Among those who sing his praise, in addition to John Ashbery, are Mark Strand, Ecco Press author Jorie Graham, and prize-winning poets Richard Howard and Edward Hirsch. Koethe's awards include the Frank O'Hara Award for Poetry, the Bernard F. Connors Award from the Paris Review, and the Kingsley-Tufts Award. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Milwaukee's first Poet Laureate. Other readings in the Spring 2005 Gwen Frostic Reading Series Thursday, Jan. 20, literary critic Art Winslow Wednesday, Feb. 2, novelist Kathryn Davis Wednesday, Feb. 23, playwright OyamO Tuesday, March 8, poets Hugh Seidman and David Dodd Lee Wednesday, March 16, novelist Diane Williams All readings begin at 8 p.m. and are in the Little Theatre, which is located at the corner of Oakland Drive and Oliver Street on Western Michigan University's East Campus. There is free off-street parking behind the theatre. For more information about the Gwen Frostic Reading Series, contact Dr. Arnie Johnston, chair of the Department of English, at <arnie.johnston@wmich.edu>. Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu WMU News Office of University Relations Western Michigan University 1903 W Michigan Ave Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA 269 387-8400 www.wmich.edu/wmu/news