Padgett returns to campus with offbeat original poetry

In his college days, Ron Padgett, CC ’64, was an eccentric aspiring poet, maybe even what current students would deem a hipster.

Now Padgett has published numerous volumes of poetry, and he returned to Columbia last night for a reading and Q&A, held by Writers House in Wien Lounge.

Around 20 people turned up for the event, a decent turnout considering the rainy weather. Padgett opened his reading by talking about a “brilliantly scary” professor he had at Columbia. “He was the only person in the world who could speak Sumerian, Babylonian, Akkadian, or some ancient language like that. I think he dreamed in it [that language],” Padgett said.

Padgett continued by presenting a poem called “Lines Written at Columbia,” which he had never previously read in public. The poem consisted of segments of many different poems that he wrote during his years on campus. Some particularly interesting lines included “Faust opened the can of peas,” and “I used to think you were Emily Dickinson in the line, ‘I am Emily Dickinson.’”

Continuing the homage to Columbia, Padgett also discussed his dislike of Contemporary Civilization.

Padgett read for almost an hour, drawing on a variety of new material. Much of the poetry, including a bedtime story he wrote for his five-year-old grandchild about monkeys, was humorous—a style that Padgett is known for.

The greatest downside of the reading was the noise coming from students in the nearby kitchen and laundry room.

During the Q&A, Padgett talked about how he has changed since his days at Columbia. He said, “I still drink in culture, but not in the same way I did then.” He even confessed to some methamphetamine use, although only on three occasions, because it hurt his stomach.

He also confessed, “I was extremely happy to leave Columbia after four years. I was a weirdo poet. Most guys wanted to be doctors or businessmen. They all wore suits. I wore jeans and cowboy boots.” He also talked about his favorite professor, Kenneth Koch, who made him stay in school.

Writers House member and former Spectator books editor, Yin Yin Lu, CC ’12, said, “He’s a really chill person. He is one of the funniest poets I know. He’s naturally funny. I’m surprised by how friendly and approachable he was.”

Another member, Marshall Thomas, CC ’12, added, “It was nice to have a poetry reading with brevity that was non-somber.”