Lauren Camp

Bio:

Lauren Camp is the author of five books of poems. Honors include the Dorset Prize, a fellowship from the Black Earth Institute and finalist citations for the Arab American Book Award, the Housatonic Book Award and the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award. View her website at www.laurencamp.com.

Statement:

The weeks I spent at The Taft-Nicholson Center were such a generous gift, a spate of open time to think wider and wilder on the page than my busy life allows. The Centennial Valley is stunning and spacious, a perfect place to delve into work, hike or daydream. I did all of these, being outside as much as a possible. I went with no formal intention; what I desired was to let the writing emerge from the place. I roamed the expansive wetlands, attended to animals and plants. I had the chance to notice and collect even the smallest details. The university staff were supportive and kind, making everything easy. I got a great amount of work done, inspired poems that hold the mystery of the Centennial Valley and the luscious ease and joy of time.