“Love of learning” is what / Philomath means. This side of a ghost / town, what kids are here hang out / in gravel parking lots & hunt/ pixelated her at The Woodsman . . .

Listen below as Paige Guarino reads Devon Walker-Figueroa’s “Philomath.” The reading took place on on November 10, 2017 as part of  NER Out Loud at Middlebury College. “Philomath” was originally published in NER Vol. 38, No. 1 (2017) and is available to read online here.

ABOUT THE READER

Paige Guarino ’18.5 is a senior Feb Psychology major, and she feels privileged to share Devon Walker-Figueroa’s “Philomath” with you. Paige has a long history of performing at Middlebury, particularly through her involvement in both the College Choir and Collegium, as well as student run plays and musicals. She also channels her love of speech and expression into her work as an Oratory Now coach. When not performing, Paige can be found singing loudly in the practice rooms, staring longingly out the windows of BiHall, or listening to the Hamilton soundtrack while she crams for exams.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Devon Walker-Figueroa grew up in Oregon, and when she turned fifteen, she left to pursue a career in ballet, training with the Kirov Ballet Academy, American Ballet Theater, Houston Ballet, and others. In her post-ballet life, she resides in New York City, where she devotes herself to such futile tasks as avoiding contact with crowds and teaching herself to read Babylonian. She also serves as co-founding editor of Horsethief Books. She holds a BA in creative writing from Bennington College and an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. In addition to NER, her poetry has appeared in American Poetry Review, Iowa Review, Copper Nickel, and others. 

Read more about NER Out Loud here.

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