I worked with Professor John Hoppenthaler for several years after he joined the faculty of East Carolina’s Department of English. He brought energy and enthusiasm to the classes he taught. His role at ECU is Professor of English and Creative Writing, and he serves as the co-director of the ECU Contemporary Writers Series.

John will present a Poetry Workshop at the Pink Hill Library from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19. During this workshop, he will highlight the work of Native-American poets while guiding participants through writing their own poems. 

Space is limited, and registration is required. The library will provide all supplies. Please call 252-568-3631 for more information or to register. 

John is a poet with voluminous creative output. His books of poetry include Domestic Garden (2015), Anticipate the Coming Reservoir (2008), and Lives of Water (2003), all published by Carnegie Mellon University Press. 

His poetry has appeared in many journals, anthologies, and textbooks. His work is in Ploughshares, Virginia Quarterly Review, Southern Review, Christian Science Monitor, Poetry Northwest, Southeast Review, The Laurel Review, The Florida Review, West Branch, Blackbird, and New York Magazine. His work also appeared in Literary Trails of Eastern North Carolina, published in 2013 by the University of North Carolina Press.

He began his academic journey at Rockland Community College in Ramapo, NY. After he earned his Associate of Arts degree, he acquired his Bachelor of Arts at the State University of New York at Brockport. He completed his formal education by receiving his Master of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.

His research interests include Creative Writing, Contemporary and Modern Poetry, and American Literature.

One student wrote about John and his creative writing class:           

“If you’re interested in or serious about creative writing, you’ll get your money’s worth! We got lots of practice with writing and peer reviews. We had to do a personal essay, a fiction scene, a poem, and a scene from a play. Each piece got reviewed by peers and the professor, and then we had to revise them multiple times. TAKE THIS CLASS!”

In an interview with Dean Julius in storySouth in 2013, John talked about his experiences working with Toni Morrison:

“I worked for TM for nine years, and what I gained from the experience is hard to put into words. What I learned from Toni has to do with her fierce spirit, her refusal to suffer fools gladly, and her work ethic. We rarely talked about each other’s work, though she would sometimes talk through issues in her prose that I may have helped her think through (I like to believe this anyway).

“Working for TM allowed me the time to complete my first volume of poems, Lives Of Water, and when the book came out, she was easygoing about allowing me time to go off and give readings in support of it, and that was huge! It’s hard to take off two weeks and go in academia!”

On Wednesday, April 19, John Hoppenthaler is taking a break from his academic duties to share his insights into poetry with those who attend the workshop. Please register and put this date on your calendar.

You are sure to glean insights into Native American poetry – and you may even have a chance to take a look into your own poetic material.

Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.