Polish poet to perform latest works

By JENNIFER PALMBERG

Krystyna Lenkowska, a contemporary Polish poet, will give a free public reading Thursday in the Alice Peters Auditorium as part of the Visiting Writer Series, a program by the masters of fine arts program and the San Joaquin Literary Association. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.

Fresno resident Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough will translate Lenkowska’s poetry into English.

Lenkowska is the author of “Eve’s Choice,” a soon-to-be-released collection of bilingual poetry, and is best known as a post-communist Polish poet.

Novelist and creative writing professor Steve Yarbrough calls Lenkowska’s poetry “original, imaginative, and quintessentially feminine.”

“I think Poland has some of the best poetry in the world,” Yarbrough said. “And I think Lenkowska is the best from Poland. I wouldn’t be surprised if she wins a Nobel Peace Prize in a few years from now.”

“With poetry, it is good to have a diverse perspective,” said Bruce Kincaid, a member of the literary association. “Krystyna is a nice change.”

Lenkowska’s poems have appeared in the United States in such popular literary journals as “Chelsea” and “Confrontation.”

“Poetry is larger than any one community or any one country,” Yarbrough said. “It is important to have as many different influences as you can. Her sheer originality will be good for Fresno State students.”

The goal of the Visiting Writer Series is to attract writers and literary figure from all over the world and re-establish the importance of literature at the university. Thursday’s will be the fourth in the series.

“These events are becoming wildly popular,” Yarbrough said. “We’re hoping to have about four to six of them a year.”

Organizers said they had to turn away between 100 and 200 people due to limited space in past events. Yarbough urged students planning to attend to come early.