“On Location: Poetry and the Power of Place:” A Reading and Workshop Delivered by Sophie Kerr Writer-in-Residence Meredith Davies Hadaway

March 7th, 2023

Alumni Meredith Davies Hadaway, class of ‘96 and Washington College’s 2023 Sophie Kerr poet-in-residence, led an event titled “On Location: Poetry and the Power of Place” in the Rose O’Neill Literary House at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7th. Hadaway read from her work, which is characterized by raw emotion, evocative descriptions of natural landscapes, and masterful sensory descriptions. She is author of three collections: “At The Narrows,” (2015) “The River is a Reason” (2011) and “Fishing Secrets of the Dead” (2005). At The Narrows was awarded the Delmarva Book Prize for Creative Writing the year of its release. After reading some of her poems, including “Rupture,” “In Green Ink,” and “Synonyms for Faith,” Hadaway lectured on ecopoetry and its ties to location. “Location is a process as well as a place,” Hadaway said. The poet guided her audience through a generative workshop, inviting participants to share what they wrote at the end of the session. Freshmen Mel Tuerk and Melinda Kern, senior Regina Del Pilar, Professor of English Dr. Richard Gillin, and others shared their poems. Hadaway’s visit occurred nearly a decade after she retired from WC; she served as vice president for communications and marketing and as a professor of English and creative writing. 

Coverage by Emma Reilly ‘23