Kevin Rabas
Kevin Rabas, Poet Laureate of Kansas, will present “Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary, at Hoisington Public Library, 169 S. Walnut, at 2 p.m. July 21. The program is free and made possible by Humanities Kansas.
Rabas is a poet, jazz musician, and professor who teaches poetry and playwriting at Emporia State University. He also chairs of the Department of English, Modern Languages, and Journalism. His collection of poems, Lisa’s Flying Electric Piano, was a Kansas Notable Book in 2010 and a winner of the Nelson Poetry Book Award. He is the winner of the Langston Hughes Award for Poetry, the Victor Contoski Poetry Award, and the Jerome Johanning Playwriting Award, among others.
His most recent poetry collection, Songs for My Father: Poems & Stories, was published by Meadowlark in 2016.
Rabas will present “Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary.” Through poetry, he will explore the beauty and value in everything around us.
“Poetry shows us that every little bit of our lives is meaningful,” Rabas said. “Part of the poet’s job is to remind us to observe and cherish the world and our lives in it.”
As Poet Laureate of Kansas, Rabas promotes the humanities as a public resource for all Kansans through public readings, presentations, and discussions about poetry in communities across the state.
About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with partners and supporters, they inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.