By Danielle Bettendorf Asst. living & arts editor
A reading from visiting writer Matvei Yankelevich and the launch of this year’s edition of “Rivercraft” will take place in Isaac’s Auditorium on April 17.
Students and faculty who are currently studying poetry noted the techniques Yankelevich uses in his work.
“We’ve read his most recent book of poetry ‘Some Worlds for Dr. Vogt’ in several of my poetry classes,” said Karla Kelsey, associate professor of creative writing.
“Students are always engaged by the imagery of the poetry and the way that Yankelevich blends beauty with the daily,” she added.
“We have also recently read one of the books that he published through his press,” Kelsey continued. “This book, Christian Hawkey’s ‘Ventrakl,’ has been a favorite of advanced poetry students for its uniqueness and intensity.”
Though Yankelevich will be visiting and speaking about his written works, he will also visit the campus as a co-creator of a publishing company.
“[Yankelevich] will visit campus not only as a poet, but as a writer who began Ugly Duckling Press, a small press in Brooklyn in the 1990s,” Kelsey said. “The press publishes important works of contemporary American literature, as well as translations that are otherwise hard to come by.”
“[Its] books are also beautiful physical objects, often incorporating letterpress work,” Kelsey added. “[Yankelevich] will talk with us about publishing and about the experience of starting a small press.”
Many students who will attend the annual reading and launch are publishing and editing majors who are looking to head into the publishing field.
“I think it’s really cool that we have a visiting editor come every year for the ‘Rivercraft’ launch, because they can talk about real world experience,” said senior Jessica Dartnell, the managing editor of “Rivercraft.” “I think that that’s cool, especially for publishing and editing students in the audience, but for anybody to see what this industry’s about.”
The reading coincides with the launch of “Rivercraft,” a collection of short stories, novellas and poetry written and put together by Susquehanna students.
“I think that we have a lot of really talented writers,” Dartnell said. “It’s cool when you start reading them all and you see common threads or themes that emerge.”
“We went with a theme of light [this year],” Dartnell continued. “We noticed a lot of pieces have a subject of light or darkness, so that’s pretty cool.”
Dartnell also highlighted the relatability that comes out of students’ personal work and how readers can connect with the pieces.
“I hope that in reading [‘Rivercraft’] they will find an experience that they can relate to or a line or a story [where] they’re like: ‘Wow, that’s gorgeous. I’m happy to read that,’” Dartnell said. “Sometimes for writers it’s like, ‘I feel jealous to not have written that,’ but it’s always a really cool thing to see something that you can relate to that much.”
“We’re always trying to look for the best writing and what we can really see people enjoying in the magazine,” Dartnell continued. “I think that every year we do get stronger and stronger submissions, and sometimes it’s because the same people do submit and they come back with their edits and it makes the story so much better. Sometimes it’s a completely new voice and we’re really excited to share that [with] the campus.”
“We’re always trying to make it better and more professional as a whole,” Dartnell added.
