2nd Guest Blog on Willie Perdomo’s Hunter College Visit

Jillian Coneys is a student in my Multicultural American Literature class this semester:

When the syllabus changed and it was announced that we would only be spending a single class on Willie Perdomo?s Where a Nickle Costs a Dime, I was really disappointed. I had been looking forward to that collection all semester since I found out that he got his start at the Nuyorican Poets Café. I had come across a book, Aloud! (I cannot recall the editor), years back that compiled the work of many poets that got their start at the now famous café, and after skimming through its contents I found that I thouroughly enjoyed the work it contained. My disappointment quickly dissipated when I was reminded of the fact that Perdomo himself would be leading the class.

The experience of getting to speak with a poet first-hand about their work is invaluable. The most interesting part of the discussion, for me, was in hearing Perdomo read his works. While reading the book, I began making notes in the margins where I thought some sort of pause might be (whether it would be denoted with a comma, period, or just a simple rest for breath). It was interesting to hear the way in which the poet heard the work when it was written. Some of the meaning of the poems changed for me after hearing them read aloud by Perdomo. The discussion also afforded us the chance to hear the stories behind the poems. For me, when I read a piece of literature, I attach my own meaning to it, finding out what it means for me. Usually, with my own pieces of writing or art, I prefer not to tell others what it is about or referring to, because that could alter the way someone thinks about the work. However, in this discussion, I enjoyed hearing the stories of people from Perdomo?s neighborhood, or events that inspired him to write his poetry. The poetry became more real for me by hearing Perdomo discuss them.

The experience of talking with Perdomo about his poetry really enhanced the class. I found this to be one of the highlights of the semester for me. There is no better way to analyze a piece of literature than to get the chance to interview its author.

-Jillian Coneys