Alabama Poet Laureate Sue Brannan Walker visits JSU By: Kevin Brant

On March 15, more than 30 people gathered at the Houston Cole Library to hear Alabama Poet Laureate Sue Brannan Walker. This event was sponsored by Friends of Houston Cole Library.
Some people know who Sue Brannan Walker is but some do not. This was true for Amanda Mann from Jacksonville, Ala. “Until I read about Walker in the newspaper, I did not know who she was,” Mann said. “I did not know there was someone who does the kind of work she does.” Mann went on to say: “Knowing what she does fascinates me.”
Robert Pearson from Sylacauga Ala. came for a different reason. “I came to this event to receive extra credit in my EH 202 literature class,” Pearson said.
Walker started the event by reading the poem “Daybreak in Alabama” by Langston Hughes.
Walker then mentioned about a type of poem she teaches her students at the University of South Alabama. “Since yesterday was PI day, I told my students about what is called a piem,” Walker said. “A piem uses the number of PI and a poem put together.”
Another type of poem that walker shared about was called an ABC poem. She shared one that had prose in it. Prose is a form of poetry that is usually descriptive in the nature of what it is talking about. The poem starts with the letter “A” and ends with the letter “Z”
Walker then spoke about her feelings about language. “I love the language of the south,” Walker said
Some writers love to write they can even if it is in the middle of the night. The same is true for Walker. “I love to write at 1 a.m. when no one bothers me,” Walker said.
Walker enjoys writing about things or people she loves. Walker then read the very first love poem she ever wrote. It is titled “Glider man.” This poem was about her grandfather and how he would sit and wait for her to visit sitting in his glider chair on the porch. It was also about the things they would do once Walker got there at her grandfather’s house.
Walker then changed topics and spoke about her mom and dad. Both of them died pretty close together and rather quickly. According to Walker she did not know exactly how to handle that at first but then a solution came to her. It was through words that helped her get through it. “Words help us deal with things we go through,” Walker said.
Walker read other poems that she wrote. One poem she wrote about was how Betsy Ross was the first person to hand stitch the United States flag for George Washington. She also sang a ballad that was dedicated to her husband but the names were changed to make it work better.
When walker finished, there was a time for questions and answers. Walker was then available to sign copies of her newest book while a reception was going on.
Heather Pollard from Centre, Ala. Really enjoyed hearing Walker. “I loved it and it made me want to read more of her poetry,” Pollard said.