This week Caroline Kennedy appeared at a New York City Barnes & Noble to celebrate National Poetry Month and promote the release of her new book, She Walks in Beauty: A Woman’s Journey Through Poems. Poet Sharon Olds (who has two pieces in Kennedy’s book) joined her onstage.
Kennedy (pictured, via) explained why she took on this project: “One of the reasons why I worked on this book is because so many people think of poetry as a solitary art form; one poet writing alone and the reader far away. But, I think what we all see here today is that poetry can really be of value for a community … And since poems are meant to be heard, reading a poem really starts a conversation.”
Olds read several poems including “Leap Before You Look” by W.H. Auden, “to my last period” by Lucille Clifton, her own “High School Senior.” One fan requested “i carry your heart with me (i carry it in” by e.e. cummings, and Olds complied. Kennedy concluded the evening by personally reading “Chocolate” by Rita Dove.