The English language is a beautiful thing, and when put in the right hands, it can have a powerful effect on the soul and mind. Professor for the creative writing graduate program at San Diego State, Ilya Kaminsky, understands the significance of that beauty and power as an award-winning poet. His book, “Dancing in Odessa,” has won numerous awards and was named Best Poetry Book of the Year in 2004 by ForeWord Magazine.
Kaminsky was born in Odessa, in the former Soviet Union, and moved to the United States in 1993. He lost much of his hearing after being mistreated for the mumps when he was 4 years old. However, he does not believe that being deaf has hindered his ability to write poetry in any way, especially because he doesn’t know what it is like to not be deaf.
“Sometimes, it is important to stop and listen to quiet, you appreciate being alive more, to pay attention to the details of the earth,” Kaminsky said. “Poets teach you how to pay attention. Once you can pay attention, you can do anything.”
Kaminsky obtained his B.A. in English literature at Georgetown University and in later years received his J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He co-founded Poets for Peace, an organization that sponsors poetry readings, and he also worked as a public interest lawyer for Bay Area Legal Aid. While Kaminsky also writes poetry in Russian, he admits that his love for the precision of English words served as a catalyst for his passion to write poetry.
“It starts with emotion, everybody writes when they’re young and they’ve fallen in love,” Kaminsky said. “The process continues because you fall in love with the language. Poetry uses words charged with their utmost meaning, a rapture of music in a language.”
According Kaminsky, poetry provides a way for the human soul to speak. Kaminsky grew up Jewish, which was difficult while living in Soviet Russia. Translating those hardships into poems became a metaphor for his memory and allowed him to view his previous life in Russia from a distance. His influences range from the classical style of William Shakespeare to the great Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin.
“Writers talk to each other across centuries and time,” Kaminsky said. “It gives a sense of community and relevance.”
Through his poems, Kaminsky aims to honor the English language and express what it means to be a human. His efforts have garnered great critical success, winning the Whiting Writers’ Award, the Dorset Prize and the annual Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowship, given by Poetry Magazine for his book “Dancing in Odessa.” Recently, Kaminsky was also awarded the $100,000 Lannan Fellowship for his new book.
Kaminsky encourages undergraduates to utilize the resources available at SDSU for literature, cultivate those internal thoughts and translate them into literary works. Many opportunities exist on campus within the English and creative writing departments. Students wishing to gain insight and mentors from SDSU’s award-winning faculty should take advantage of these opportunities. You never know, the next William Shakespeare or better yet, Ilya Kaminsky, may be you.
SPOTLIGHT: Showing the beauty of words through poetry
Published: Thursday, December 4, 2008
Updated: Thursday, December 4, 2008
 "Photo: Courtesy of Ilya Kaminsky")
Courtesy of Ilya Kaminsky
Be the first to comment on this article!