ATTENDING HONORS PROGRAM EVENT: BLACK PASTORAL BOOK TALK (3 POINTS) - (ALI ASKEW CLASS OF 2028)

 

On October 13, 2025, Spelman HPSA held a book talk to discuss and explore Black Pastoral, winner of the 2024 Academy of American Poets Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and finalist for the 2023 National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize. Professor Benson, author of the book, joined us to discuss the deeper meanings and connections made between present and past experiences within the Black community. As silly as it sounds, before this event, I hadn’t considered that there were modern-day poets. It was really nice to hear from Professor Benson and hear her thought process behind the creation of some of her poems.  I do not read poetry often; however, after sitting through this discussion, I really appreciated each of the poems, and I have begun reading the book in my personal time.

Ali Askew