On the evening of March 21, 2024, the Trent University English Department’s “Writers Reading Series” once again inspired a sense of community through literature. Welcoming not just one, or two, but three familiar faces to the stage, the audience was witness to the readings of Trent faculty members, Rob Winger, Concetta Principe, and Aaron Kreuter. 

Being that this was the last “Writers Reading” event for the year, slight introductions touched on the promise of the events to occur in the coming fall, as next year will be the 60th anniversary of Traill College. The authors presented on March 21 each expressed differences in their styles of poetry.  However, it was their tonality and the academic framing of their works which inspired unison, creating an intimate and educational evening.

The first to speak was Concetta Principe. Introduced as an author of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, it quickly became clear that the audience was in for a diverse experience. Reading multiple poems from her books, Discipline N. V: A Lyric Memoir, and Disorder, Concetta addressed a multitude of personal vulnerabilities. Discipline N. V: A Lyric Memoir, the first book from which she spoke, published in 2023, might be articulated as an introspective study of her experience getting her Ph.D. The title itself, or rather the emphasis on the word Discipline, is noted as referring to both hard work and to varying fields of study. Concetta then began to read from her 2024 poetry book entitled Disorder. 

Drawing a metaphorical understanding of the mind, Concetta implied this book was an investigation of the complexities of mental disorders and notions of safety or sanctuary. When asked about the inspiration for her writings Concetta stated “I write about what's happening to me at a given time, whether the stimulation is external or internal.” The comment was made clear by both the poetry which she read and the rationale she provided in tandem. 

With her literary abilities highlighted through prose and poetry, Concetta stated that her works are composed through a complex process which involves “writing to myself and writing for people to listen.” Employing a system of automatic writing and making notes of her ideas in journals or “dream diaries,” Concetta hopes to engage with a variety of audiences.   

The second author to take to the stage was Rob Winger. Similarly to Concetta, Rob’s introduction was nothing short of impressive. An author of four poetry books whose work has been shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award, the Trillium Book Award for Poetry, and the Ottawa Book Award, Rob identified his main sources of inspiration to be vaguely random. Drawing either on literary ideas which appear throughout his daily life or from famous authors, Rob aims to have his poems speak for themselves; he describes them to be in likenesses to that of Anne Carson, explaining “If I could only read one sort of work for the rest of my days, it would be poems. Nothing else, still, comes close.”

When discussing the importance of writing inspiration, Rob points to a “wise nugget” from his late friend Steven Heighton. Stating something which I find of value to all writers, Rob passes on that when writing “Interest is never enough. If it doesn’t haunt you, you’ll never write it well. What haunts and obsesses you into writing may, with luck and labour, interest your readers. What merely interests you is sure to bore them.”

Last to speak was Aaron Kreuter. Having initially introduced his fellow colleagues, Aaron took to the podium to read from his poetry collection Arguments for Lawn Chairs. As well, Aaron presented a ‘sneak peek’ at another poem from his coming collection. During his reading of Arguments for Lawn Chairs, Aaron expressed the overarching theme of television within his collection speaking with a captivating tonality. Further, he was able to build rapport with the audience. Specifically whilst reading one of his poems entitled “Meanwhile,” Aaron encouraged the audience to silently note specific aspects of cultural media which he may identify through satirical wording in his poetry.

Everything discussed throughout the evening cannot fully be encompassed by the mere statements above. The reading itself worked to reinforce the importance of recognizing all literary forms. Each of these individuals, while operating under the umbrella of poetry, writes with vast differentials. The evening came to a close after Aaron’s reading and saw the audience through some preliminary questions through a reception at the Trend.