By Tim Melton
At The Scroll, we love talking about our students and their various achievements; however, it is also important for us to acknowledge our faculty for their hard work! Today, we’d like to recognize Professor of English and Education Dr. Janet Warman, whose poetry chapbook entitled “Lake Diving” was published by Finishing Line Press earlier this fall.
Although the title of the collection might imply poetry centered on nature, Dr. Warman’s writing actually focuses heavily on people, and the circumstances that shape their interactions with others and their own sense of identity. With titles like “Our Father’s War,” “Grandfather’s Death,” “Her Grief,” and “Distance,” it is clear that Dr. Warman examines in her collection a number of strong and complicated emotions, yet her simplicity of style and precision of language makes her work easy to read and enjoy.
“The poems in this collection were inspired by two different things: relationships with family and others that I was trying to figure out on a deeper level and experiences of being a woman in our culture,” writes Dr. Warman. “Readers have told me that my poems have caused them to think about their own experiences in a new way, and I find that sort of comment validating for what I am trying to do with my writing.”
In early November, the English department held a faculty reading, where Dr. Warman, along with English professors Paul Crenshaw and Scott Proudfit, was able to share her work with her peers. Dr. Warman expressed appreciation for the gathering. “That event was really nice…The three of us who read write in very different genres, so the mix was interesting.”
As for where she plans to go from here, Dr. Warman is already looking for a publisher for her next poetry collection, and seems eager for the challenge. “Publishing poetry is a long process, with many rejections before any acceptance, so it takes patience and persistence.” Dr. Warman has also been granted a sabbatical during spring 2018, during which she will be writing a series of poems on Alzheimer’s disease.
Congratulations on your hard work, Dr. Warman, and good luck on all your future endeavors!
If you would like to purchase “Lake Diving” for yourself, you can find it at the campus bookstore, or you can order it online from the publisher’s site, Amazon, and other key retailers.