Paschen’s Passion For Poetry
Parent and Alum brings poetry to Parker
Elise Paschen ‘77 wrote her first poem in second grade. The poem, which was about a horse, was to be published in the school’s literary magazine and cemented her love of the craft. Over fifty years later, and Paschen’s written more poetry–– some about horses, others about dreams and failed relationships.
And, fifty years later, in addition to the submission-based Latin School of Chicago literary magazine that housed her first poem, Paschen’s poetry has been published in other respected publications like “The New Yorker” and “Poetry.”
Paschen is grateful for the support she received at a young age. “I was very lucky that I felt this love of poetry very early on and was encouraged by my teachers growing up,” Paschen said.
Following the second grade, Paschen’s love of poetry took the next step during her high school years at Parker when she took a class about Modern British Literature. The class was taught by William Duffy, a former monk. “That really allowed me to start understanding the history of poetry, the rudiments of poetry,” Paschen said. “I was always kind of Shakespeare driven when I was younger. But when I took the course, I started to understand that there were these great modernist writers.”
Paschen continued exploring poetry at Harvard for undergraduate school, and then at Oxford for her Ph.D. She spent time in New York, spearheading “Poetry in Motion,” a project that put poems in public transportation. According to Paschen, the goal was to “put poetry at the crossroads of American life.”
Now, Paschen spends time putting poetry at the crossroads of Clark and Webster.
Eight years ago, Paschen was approached by Principal Dr. Frank and was asked to help start a visiting writer’s program. Paschen, newly retired from heading the Poetry Society of America, loved the idea. “Even though my love of poetry comes from an academic beginning, I think that my love for getting poetry out into the world surpasses that,” Paschen said.
With English Teacher Mike Mahany, English Teacher Theresa Collins, and Frank, Pashen helped start the annual visiting poet series, which is now funded by the Jeanne Harris Hansell fund for poetry.
Through her time with the Poetry Society of America and her work as an anthologist, Paschen has been able to bring in several different contemporary poets to Parker. Over the past seven years, with Pachen’s help, Parker was able to host poets like Billy Collins and Joy Harjo.
Paschen finds it important that young students are exposed to poetry. “I believe that poetry is the most important literary form for people of all ages to discover. It’s a quick access to the heart and to literature.”
“I think it’s very important for students not to become frightened of poetry,” Paschen said. Because I think that when you’re young, you have a natural affinity to poems. And then when you get in to maybe middle school, high school, it becomes sort of like a chore.”
Bringing poetry to the school has shown Paschen that Parker teachers love poetry. “One of the things I noticed when we brought Billy Collins in was that it turned out that every single English teacher at Parker wrote poems,” Paschen said. “There’s a very strong love of poetry at Parker with teachers.”
In addition to her help with the Visiting Poet Series, Paschen’s poetry can be found being taught in classrooms. English Teacher Matt Laufer teaches Paschen’s “Wi’-gi-e” in his American Literature class. “It’s subtle, it’s indirect, so part of the fun is to piece it together, and it always leads to an interesting class.”
Senior Lauren Hughes, remembers reading Paschen’s poetry in American Literature. “Her poems were always so much fun to read,” Hughes said. “They were a bit puzzling, but in the best way.”
Laufer appreciates not only the writing in Paschen’s poetry but the themes she writes about as well. “Her poems are beautiful, lyrical, and somewhat unsettling on the level of language and politics and history,” Laufer said. “It’s the marriage of the historical, political, sort of social justice window, that matters to me. And of course, the beauty and elegance of the writing.”
Although Paschen has spent considerable time with the programming side of poetry, writing will always have a special place in her heart. “The thing I love more than anything is to be writing a poem,” Paschen said. “Because for me, if I am in the thick of a poem, time stops and nothing gives me greater, greater happiness than being at work at a poem that I can dig deeply into and suddenly look at the clock and realize hours have passed.”
