Poet and writer Alicia Jo Rabins spoke to an audience of Chemeketa students, staff and faculty in the Gretchen Schuette Art Gallery on Thursday, May 2. 

Rabins came to the campus as part of Chemeketa Writes, an English Program offering coordinated by Tammy Jabin that invites writers to read and speak to students as well as lead a writing workshop. 

In the afternoon, Rabins read a selection of poems from two of her books, “Divinity School,” and, “Fruit Geode,” in addition to a smattering of loose poems from a potential upcoming book. After each reading, Rabins fielded questions and thoughts from the audience. 

On being invited to Chemeketa, Rabins said, “It’s a real privilege to get to be here and share my words and I’m so grateful for places like Chemeketa and people like Tammy, or professor Jabin, who hold space for the art of poetry and the importance of listening to words and writing words and investigating what it means to be alive.” Later that day, Rabins led a poetry writing workshop.