What do poets have to say about the retirement years? Using examples from her new University of Iowa Press anthology (co-edited with Robin Chapman), On Retirement: 75 Poems, Judith offers poets'-eye views on the transition from working life to retirement, the challenges of creating new lives for ourselves, the joys and trials of aging, and the power of love to ease our progress through the years. This book may be sponsored by the Wisconsin Humanities Council; for more information, call (608) 262-0706 or check out the website Wisconsin Humanities Council.

Writing A Life

Judith's memoir, Black Eye: Escaping a Marriage, Writing a Life, describes her effort, as a 42-year-old cancer survivor, to find a better way to live the rest of her life. In 1986, she left an emotionally and physically abusive marriage that had lasted seventeen years and rediscovered herself as a writer. This remarkable memoir, built around edited excerpts of a journal the author kept from late 1985 through 1986, reveals the psychological and social circumstances that led a "strong" woman, an intelligent and politically active feminist, to become an emotionally dependent, abused wife. At the same time, the memoir tells the story of how Strasser returned to poetry after a 25-year hiatus during the year that culminated in the black eye she describes as a gift, a release into creativity.

In this talk, Judith reads excerpts from Black Eye that lead to discussion of three themes: Why do people write memoir? What is the difference between autobiography and literary memoir? What are the ethical obligations of a writer?

Judith also teaches "Writing a Life" memoir workshops ranging in length from one hour to one week, at bookstores, libraries, and adult education centers.

For additional workshop information

Whose Woods These Are: The Poetry of Place

For many of us, when we think about the wooded hills of New England, Robert Frost comes to mind. But Frost is only one of many poets who use images of specific places as jumping off points for their poetry. And these poems are not just about the places they describe: they may take the reader into the poet's interior landscape, or consider such "non-poetic" subjects as history, politics, and science. Judith illustrates this talk with readings of her own poems about the Apostle Islands, Dane County parks, and Door County, and with the work of other poets.

Monica, Madonna, Michael, and Me: Fame in the Twenty-First Century

The passion for fame dates back millennia, but changes in communications technologies and their audiences have changed the meaning of the word. Now we all expect our fifteen minutes in the limelight. There is a world of difference between the celebrity of the moment and a person whose fame endures for centuries after he or she has died. Judith spices this interactive discussion of who is famous, why, and how, with anecdotes from her own brush with (very minor) celebrity. The program comes in two versions, one suitable for high school age students, and one for adult audiences.

The Politics of Poetry

In 2003, Laura Bush cancelled a White House poetry symposium when poet Sam Hamill turned down his invitation and asked friends to write poems protesting the war in Iraq. Many Americans were surprised that poets were messing with politics. But poetry and politics have long had a combative relationship. Plato thought poets were so dangerous he banned them from his Republic! And rappers and young performance poets carry on a tradition of protest that Walt Whitman would recognize.

Judith illustrates her talk with work from many cultures, including poets ranging from Nobel Prize winners to contemporary urban American youth. The program is available in two versions, one suitable for students in grades 4-12, and one for adult audiences.