The Racine Public Library, in cooperation with Racine Interfaith Coalition, will host a book reading and discussion with poet and scholar Philip Metres on Thursday, July 2, from 6-7:30 p.m., in the Library's Adult Services Department at 75 Seventh St. in downtown Racine. During his presentation, Metres will talk about the poetry of war and peace, reading selections from his books, *Behind the Lines: War Resistance Poetry on the American Homefront since 1941*, *To See the Earth*, and *Come Together: Imagine Peace*.
"Behind the Lines investigates American war resistance poetry from the Second World War through the Iraq wars. Rather than simply chronicling the genre, Philip Metres argues that this poetry gets to the heart of who is authorized to speak about war and how it can be represented. As such, he explores a largely neglected area of scholarship: the poet's relationship to dissenting political movements and the nation."
In addition to authoring his many books, Metres' poetry has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Best American Poetry and Inclined to Speak: Contemporary Arab American Poetry. He has been involved in the peace movement since the 1980s; he co-founded the Bloomington [Indiana] Coalition for Peace in the 1990s, and has worked with Pax Christi, Committee for Peace in the Middle East, Peace Action, and Tikkun. He teaches literature and creative writing at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. Were it not for Ellis Island, his last name would be Abourjaili.
This program is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary, however, seating is limited and early arrival is recommended. Questions may be directed to the Racine Public Library at 262.636.9217.
