Phil Kaye Shines as 2021-2022 Writer in Residence

After an introduction by Carrie Midkiff ’22, Kaye performed multiple poems that immediately gripped the audience, including works about a puppy he got during the pandemic and family tension between his Jewish and Japanese heritage in the context of World War II events. Kaye offered heartfelt stories about the inspiration for each of his poems which allowed students and faculty to better understand them as well as his creative process. Before his final poem, Kaye took several questions from students about his career in writing, inspiration, and his books. Kaye received a standing ovation before signing books for audience members.

Kaye is the author of two books, A Light Bulb Symphony and Date & Time, and his work has been featured in a range of settings from The New Yorker magazine to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. He has performed his original poetry in 20 countries and was invited to open for His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the celebration of his 80th birthday. He is the co-director of Project VOICE, an organization that partners with schools to bring poetry to the classroom. In addition, Kaye is a National Poetry Slam finalist, and the two-time recipient of the National College Poetry Slam (CUPSI) award for “Pushing the Art Forward,” given for outstanding innovation in the art of performance poetry. A former teacher of weekly poetry workshops in maximum security prisons, Kaye was also the head coordinator of Space in Prisons for the Arts and Creative Expression (SPACE). 

“Being able to bring writers who work across genre, format, and media is transformative for our students,” noted Dean of Academics Martha Griswold. “To be able to have workshops and small group interactions allows our students to really explore with our Writers in Residence, and learn about themselves and their own writing.”

The Writer in Residence Program is a highlight of the Chatham Hall curriculum. Stewarded through the English Department, each year a noted writer visits campus to share their work with students. Program alumni include Grammy and MacArthur award-winning songwriter Rhiannon Giddons, Poet Laureate of the United States Joy Harjo, and National Medal of Arts-winning author Tobias Wolff, among many others. A full list of past Writers in Residence is available here.

Support for this signature program is provided through the Chatham Hall endowment. When fully funded, the program will be named the "Claudia Emerson ’75 Writer In Residence" in tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Chatham Hall Trustee, alumna, former dean and faculty member, and Chatham native who twice served as a writer in residence. For more information, please contact Chief Advancement Officer Christine Knight (cknight@chathamhall.org).

See more photos from Kaye’s visit on the School’s SmugMug account.