A critically-acclaimed poet who tackles complex societal topics and has recieved several awards for his writing will visit NMU this week.

The NMU Visiting Writers series will host Jericho Brown at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17 in Jamrich 1100. Brown’s most recent book of poems, “The Tradition,” was a finalist for the 2019 National Book Award in poetry.

English associate professor and Visiting Writer Series Director Rachel May said that she was excited when Brown agreed to visit.

“I think that his writing is beautiful and powerful and is speaking to issues that the nation is grappling with right now,” May said. 

Along with his writing, Brown is an associate professor and director of the creative writing program at Emory University in Atlanta. May said he is very in touch with the issues college students are dealing with and is great at encouraging students.

“[Brown is] a very warm spirit,” May said. “He’s great at making people feel like they can do this writing thing too.”

Brown deals with difficult topics in his writing, along with real world issues such as black men being killed by police and systemic racism. May said this is the exact reason people should come watch him talk.

“It’s important for us to think about those things together,” May said.

Besides the National Book Award, Brown has received many other honors for his poetry. His debut book, “Please,” won an American Book Award in 2009. In 2011 he was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts and in 2016 the Guggenheim Fellowship.

May said she wants people to know that, despite these honors and the complex topics his writing deals with, he’s not some stuffy poet.

“He’s fun. He’s very in touch with what’s happening in pop culture and the news. He has really funny particular interests in art and music,” May said. “He’s really in touch with everyday struggles.”

The event is free, and May said she thinks that there’s something for everyone, not just people interested in poetry.