The Charles Olson Society will sponsor a session at the annual American Literature Association Conference, to be held in Boston, May 21-24. We are interested in abstracts that examine the influence of Charles Olson and/or other Black Mountain Poets on poetic practices and on subsequent generations of poets. A variety of poets took up the innovative ideas of figures like Charles Olson, Robert Creeley, Robert Duncan, John Wieners, Ed Dorn and others associated with Black Mountain. How have the practices of this fundamentally important school of poetics been extended, transformed, and/or resisted by poets from subsequent generations? Since influence can function as both a positive and a negative spur for the creative process, we will welcome papers that consider either how poets accepted and applauded the spirit of Black Mountain or how poets have transformed Black Mountain Poetry through acts of resistance. We welcome abstracts that explore the formal techniques of poets who built on the legacy of Black Mountain Poetry, that seek to draw lines of distinction, that craft theoretical readings, and that assess the reach of Charles Olson and his poetry as a historical phenomenon.

Ultimately, we will draw a wide map of influence. Those interested should send a 250 word abstract to Joshua Hoeynck (jsh115@case.edu) and to Jeffrey Gardiner (jeffreyjgardiner@gmail.com) no later than January 27th. Please include your academic affiliation (if any) and a brief biographical note with your abstract.