Despite the ever-shrinking attention spans of this social media-savvy generation, creators of the Wordsmiths Reading Series have set out to prove that poetry remains a relevant and thriving art form, even in this fast-paced digital world.

“It’s alive and kicking,” said Dr. Christopher Bursk, a professor in the language and literature department at Bucks, and author of 12 poetry books.

“I think [poetry] is more relevant today than in the past,” said Bursk. “Poetry that’s being written today is not that formal, obscure, inaccessible stuff. It’s real accessible. It’s become more egalitarian and rooted in people’s daily lives.”

Bucks County has always been deeply rooted in the arts, embracing poetry along with other mediums; however Bucks’ artistic culture is not exclusive to the past. Bursk explained that poetry, in Bucks County, “has a rich heritage and a rich life in the present.”

“I think there are more strong poets writing these days, and there is a strong community of poets who support each other,” said Bursk.

This is why Bursk, along with committee members Associate Professor Ethel Rackin, coordinator; Professor Steven doCarmo; and Assistant Professor David Venditto; created the Wordsmiths Reading Series. The committee brings together writers, with local ties to the area, to perform readings of their work at the Orangery, located at the Newtown Campus.

It gives students and other members of the community a chance to come face-to-face with the writers themselves while experiencing their words in an intimate setting.

“You read literature books and more than half of them are dead and you never get to meet them,” said Bursk.

“This is a chance to meet real living poets, real living fiction writers, and real living creative non-fiction writers that are practicing their craft, they’re doing what we in the language and literature department preach — that you want to write with integrity and write with commitment,” continued Bursk.

On Oct. 3, the Wordsmiths Reading Series hosted three poets: Kasey Jueds, one of the judges for the upcoming Bucks County Poet Laureate competition; Bill Wunder, 2004 Bucks County Poet Laureate; and Wendy Fulton Steginsky.

“Kasey Jueds is a very lyrical poet and she draws on her childhood some,” said Bursk. “She has a poem called ‘Missing Woman’ about a poster, imagining herself as a missing person and my students in my poetry class did their own missing persons poster and they were amazing.” “So she has poetry that prompts other poetry, and that makes you want to write more poems,” Bursk added.

“Bill Wunder is a Vietnam Vet whose poetry hits you straight on; it doesn’t beat around the bush,” said Bursk. “It talks about what he’s experienced in Vietnam and what he’s experienced as a cancer survivor. It’s poetry that deals with the stuff that we deal with in our daily lives, our lives in the world,” continued Bursk.

Wendy Fulton Steginsky is a native of Bermuda who currently resides in Bucks County, “her poetry is incredibly lush, it’s like drinking some wonderful Caribbean drink that changes your life,” said Bursk. “Her poems are magical in terms of making Bermuda come alive, and the result of that is that you enter into a kind of magical world,” said Bursk.

“And who doesn’t need a magical world these days?”

“A lot of students who go to these readings, it’s their first time at a poetry reading and they get hooked,” said Bursk. “One of the sad parts of the series is the attendance of the faculty in the language and literature department is remarkably minimal,” Bursk continued. “I’ve worked on the Wordsmith’s series for 20 years off and on, and it has been a continual grief for me that more faculty members don’t come.” “Out of an audience of 70, maybe five are faculty members,” said Bursk.

“That’s sad.”

There may be a few factors that have aided in the facilitation of poetry in Bucks County. “I think the Bucks County Poet Laureate program has helped to boost [poetry in Bucks County], and I think people taking classes at the community college were inspired,” said Bursk.

Bursk then added, “I think in general people are daring to believe they can write poetry, and because they dare to believe it they commit themselves to it and they end up writing terrific poetry.” Students and faculty who wish to attend Wordsmith Readings can find more information at www.bucks.edu.