Open. Humble. Welcoming of all experience. These are attributes of the “kitchen table” that forms the central image of the Joy Harjo poem featured by Sarah Wider during her February 22 talk at the Ikeda Center. These attributes describe Dr. Wider, too. Speaking on the theme, “The Poetic Heart of Human Possibility,” the Colgate University professor of American literature and women’s studies structured her presentation to include significant contributions from attendees on the many meanings of the poetic heart and spirit in their own lives.
The afternoon’s theme forms...