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Poetry on the pond

UPDATE — 10/13/14 at 1:57 p.m.

Dr. Lunberry crosses the library pond in a kayak to rearrange the lettering from Emily Dickinson's poem. Photo by Lydia Moneir
Dr. Lunberry crosses the library pond in a kayak to rearrange the lettering from Emily Dickinson’s poem.
Photo by Lydia Moneir

Dr. Clark Lunberry, associate professor in the English department, was seen setting up a new letter design on the library pond on Oct. 12. The floating letter design now has the words “SOMEBODY” and “NOBODY” intersecting to share the letter “B” in both words.

 

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Floating on the library pond are the words, “I’M NOBODY! WHO ARE YOU?”. Inside the Thomas G. Carpenter library, letters spell out “How dreary to be somebody!” on the stairwell windows.

For Dr. Clark Lunberry, associate professor in the English department, this message holds a deeper meaning. Lunberry is currently teaching a class about Emily Dickinson’s work and her impact on literature. He set up the installment at the library to make students aware of Dickinson’s work.

This installation is part one of two and will stay up till Oct. 12. Lunberry said the piece will change after that and stay up for two more weeks.

He said the installment is not only an expression of himself but is also a way to raise awareness for Dr. Marta Werner, an Emily Dickinson scholar who will be speaking on Oct. 2.

This is not the first time Lunberry has used the library and pond to showcase a poem in this way. Over the course of five years, from 2007 to 2012, Lunberry said he has posted poems the same way. A collection of these poems can be found on his website and is titled Writing on Water/ Writing on Air.

Lunberry,  some UNF graduates, a few current students and his 10-year-old son Noah took kayaks on the pond to set up the plastic lettering. When asked if students can expect more pieces of art to be floating around UNF ponds, Lunberry said maybe in the future, but it takes a lot of work to get the letters out there.

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Email Kayla Davis at [email protected]

 

 

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