My name is Colin Dekeersgieter. I’m a poet and Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill with an M.A. in modern literature and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from New York University. Growing up, I spent many years on my own reading literature that I seldom understood but always found deeply intriguing. As a reader, this solitude is key early on, but discussion becomes integral after feeding the heart in solitude. And so, here are my icebreakers that will hopefully lead to some meaningful discourse if you engage.

These posts are entryways into my favorite poetry, poetry that often frightens readers due to the persistently repeated notion that they are too complex for the average reader and that only scholars can cull any meaning from them. This is untrue. While modern poetry is difficult it is not elitist and has never aimed to bar anyone. Modernism stemmed from an ethos of anti-elitism, a democratic attempt at leveling through exposing aspects of everyday life. The majority of the readings here provide background or context necessary for a fuller understanding. I also attempt to peel away the denotative layers of words and phrases so that the poems become more accessible. Occasionally I slip into subjective interpretation, but only when it seems that there is no other approach. I hope these readings help you better appreciate poems you’ve loved for years, draw you to new writers and, most importantly, provide you with some sustenance to sustain your heart in solitude or among friends. Thanks for reading!

You can find my professional website here: https://www.colindekeersgieter.com/