‘Words in the Air' at Woodstock Library Forum

Woodstock — William Seaton will speak on the history and characteristics of performed poetry, at the Woodstock Library Forum, a series sponsored by Friends of the Library, at 5 p.m., on Saturday, March 17. “Words in the Air: Notes on the Oral Performance of Poetry” traces the ancient history of the artful spoken word as well as describing varieties of poetic performance in modern times. Seaton also comments on such theoretical issues as the influence of language on thought, the difference between a spoken or sung text and a written one, the relation between poetry and prose, and the functional value of verbal art. As a scholar, Seaton studied troubadours and Minnesingers as well as folklore and oral literature. He recently spoke for the Hudson Valley Cultural Society on the effect of literacy on the practice of poetry. The event will include time for questions and light refreshments. The library is located at 5 Library Lane in Woodstock.