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University of Mary Washington professor Claudia Emerson fielding one of many phone calls after learning she has won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for poetry for her 'Late Wife.' Though the book sold out at local stores after the news, more copies are being printed. |
By JORDAN McDANIEL
YOUTH CORRESPONDENT
EW WILL EVER KNOW what it's like to go from small-town college professor one day to Pulitzer Prize-winning poet the next.
But such is reality for Claudia Emerson, who won what many consider to be poetry's top honor earlier this year--somewhat unexpectedly, at least for her.
"I was thrilled and absolutely surprised," said Emerson in a recent interview with MyLine.
Emerson began her writing career while in high school, as editor of the Chatham Hall newspaper. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in English. In 1991, she received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
English always came easy for Emerson. Never one to accept the easy way out, she said she pondered the idea of choosing a different, more challenging major in her college years. However, her love for language and literature was too strong.
Even so, Emerson's poetic muse took a long time coming.
"I wrote off and on for years, but only became serious about it in my late 20s," she said.
But once she started writing, the path was all too clear, she added. "I enjoy fiction very much, but I am compelled to compose poetry. The exploration of metaphor is important to me and poetry is the best genre, in my opinion, for such contemplation."
Emerson said she loves the natural world. Animals, landscapes, and even weather are often the subjects of her poetry.
"The inspirations for my work are always changing. Early work was influenced greatly by the landscape and the people of Southside Virginia."
Following the 1997 publication of Emerson's first book, "Pharaoh, Pharaoh," about Southside Virginia and rural life, Mary Washington recruited her as a professor.
Before moving to Fredericksburg in 1998 to teach creative writing at the University of Mary Washington, Emerson also worked at both Washington and Lee University and Randolph-Macon College.
The best part about teaching is having students realize their potential, she said.
"If a student will meet me halfway, she will become a better writer; seeing a student discover talent is the most rewarding aspect of teaching."
Emerson's second book, "Pinion: An Elegy," was published in 2002. It was a fictional poem about a family in the 1920s.
"Late Wife," Emerson's most recent book of poetry, was published in 2005.
"The latest work grew out of the more closely personal subjects of divorce and remarriage," she said.
After her divorce, Emerson remarried a widower. She said she thought long and hard about publishing the book because she did not want to be too public.
Louisiana State University Press, which published the book, nominated Emerson's "Late Wife" for the Pulitzer Prize. From that point it took a lot of luck.
"The Pulitzer committee at Columbia chooses from three finalists put forward by a three-member jury," said Emerson.
Ironically, Emerson first saw the news of her win online. At the same time her phone began ringing from someone who notified her that she had won the Pulitzer Prize.
Since her win, Emerson has received a lot more invitations to read and do book signings. Emerson likes to support independent bookstores and has scheduled several visits to ones around the state. She is also traveling to Duke University and Syracuse University this year.
Though her newfound celebrity may feel overwhelming at times, Emerson looks to Nelson County resident and popular mystery author Rita Mae Brown for advice on working and writing.
"Rita Mae Brown says: 'Never hope more than you work.'
"Writing seriously means commitment, so my advice is to prioritize your writing--and never confuse the desire to write with the desire to publish."
Emerson said more copies of "Late Wife" were being printed, as stores sold out after she won the Pulitzer. Her books are available at most local stores.
JORDAN McDANIEL is a
