Booking
To book for speaking events or readings, please be in touch.
Email lsk4 (at) calvin.edu.
Photo Credit: Jason Glerum
Past Events
Panel Discussion, “Dwelling: Our Watershed in Words and Images.” Plaster Creek Stewards 10th Anniversary Celebration. Calvin University. Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 2019
Lecture and Workshop, “The God-Pleasing Creative Life.” Calvin Prison Initiative. Handlon Correctional Facility. Ionia, Michigan, July 2019
Talk, “Field Notes.” Honors Convocation. Calvin College. Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 2019
Lecture, “The God-Pleasing Creative Life.” Faculty Exchange. Károli Gáspar University. Budapest, Hungary. October, 2018
Lecture, “The Artifice of Eternity. Notes Toward a Christian Poetics.” Faculty Exchange. Károli Gáspar University. Budapest, Hungary. October, 2018.
Lecture, “The Essential Strangeness of Poetry.” Faculty Exchange. Károli Gáspar University. Budapest, Hungary. October, 2018
Seminar, “Us versus Them in Three Stories by Flannery O’Connor.” Faculty Exchange. Károli Gáspar University. Budapest, Hungary. October, 2018.
Conference Director, Organizer, Facilitator, Editor, “Christian Poetics Symposium.” Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. June, 2018.
Interview, “An Interview with Joy Williams.” Festival of Faith and Writing. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. April, 2018
Writing Exercise, “What the Bird Said.” Calvin Writers’ Retreat, Portage Lake Covenant Bible Camp, Onekama, Michigan, March 2018
Lecture, “The God-Pleasing Creative Life.” First Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 2017
Panel Discussion, “Uneasy Alliances: Government Agencies and Poets Laureate,” with Patricia Clark, Denise Low, Joann Belingit, Carolyn Kreiter-Faronda, Association of Writers and
Writing Programs Conference, Washington, DC, February, 2017
Moderator, Panel Discussion, “MOTIONPOEMS Film Festival.” Wealthy Street Theatre. Grand Rapids, Michigan, October, 2016
Moderator, Panel Discussion, “Ask the Poet Laureates.” Great Lakes Commonwealth of Letters. Grand Rapids, Michigan, April, 2016
Interview, “An Interview with George Saunders.” Festival of Faith and Writing. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2016
Interview, “An Interview with Mary Ruefle.” Festival of Faith and Writing. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2016
Speech, “Grand Poems In Rapid Transit,” The Rapid Central Station, Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2016
Master Class, “The Essential Strangeness of Poetry,” Malone College, Canton, Ohio, March, 2015
Class Visit, “Truth and Reconciliation: The Artist’s Response,” Calvin College Artists Collaborative, Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 2015
Speech, “The Pink Plumage of Words,” Community Literacy Summit, Chapel, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, September, 2014
Lecture, “The Incarnation of a Lesson Plan,” Sacred Spaces Symposium, Spoelhof Center, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 2014.
Lecture, “The God-Pleasing Creative Life.” L’Abri Fellowship. Huemoz, Switzerland, July 2014
Lecture, “The Artifice of Eternity: Notes Toward a Christian Poetics.” L’Abri Fellowship. Huemoz, Switzerland, July 2014
Lecture, “Obscurity in Poetry.” Grand Rapids Breakfast Club of Early Risers. Women’s City Club. Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 2014
Interview, “Reverence Without Curtsying: A Conversation with Kimberly Johnson and Mary Szybist.” Festival of Faith and Writing. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, April 2014.
Speech, “Poets & the City.” Poet Laureate of Grand Rapids Induction Ceremony. Ryerson Auditorium, Grand Rapids Public Library. Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2014
Panel Discussion, “The Art of Difficulty: Challenging Poetry Students to Think Clearly, Read Smartly, Write Evocatively,” with Amorak Huey, Shaindel Beers, Judy Halebsky, Jill Alexander Essbaum, 2014 Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference, Seattle, Washington, March, 2014
Panel Discussion, “The Debts We Owe: Undergraduate Writing Programs Respond,” with Martha Perkins, Chris Haven, Beth Myers, Pablo Peschiera, 2014 Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference, Seattle, Washington, February, 2014
Lecture, “Creativity,” Adult Education, Church of the Servant, Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 2014
Lecture, “The Virtue of Creativity,” Calvin College’s Leadership Challenge Institute, Snow Mountain Ranch, Colorado, July, 2013
Lecture, “Language and Sustainability,” Van Reken Hall Creation Care Floor, Calvin College, November, 2012
Interview, “An Interview with Maurice Manning,” Festival of Faith and Writing, Calvin College, April 2012
Panel Discussion, “Stewarding the Vocation: Do Graduate Programs in Creative Writing
“Make or Mar the Writer?,” with Lan Samantha Chang, Scott Cairns, & Jamaal May, Festival of Faith and Writing, Calvin College, April 2012
Panel Discussion, “Working with a Publisher: Editors, Copyright, Contract, Process of Publication,” with David Cope, Linda Nemec Foster, & Eric Greinke, Grand Rapids Poets’ Conference, Grand Rapids Community College, April 2012
Lecture, “The Essential Strangeness of Poetry,” GVSU Writers Series, Grand Valley State University, February, 2012
Lecture, “The Artifice of Eternity: Notes Toward a Christian Poetics,” Faculty Lectureship Award Series, Calvin College, November, 2011
Commentary, with Todd Boss, Angella Kassube, and David Lehman, Motionpoems Premiere, Target Performance Hall, Open Book, Minneapolis, October, 2011
Panel Discussion, Professors Poetry Panel with Linda Nemec Foster & Matthew Frank, Literary Life Book Store, Grand Rapids, Michigan, April, 2011
Lecture, “A Zigzag in the Boom Box: Notes Toward a Christian Poetics,” Christian Writers Conference, Grove City College, March, 2011
Chapel Talk, “Stewards of Words,” Grove City College, March, 2011
Interview, “An Interview with Kevin Young,” Festival of Faith and Writing, Calvin College, April, 2010
Interview, “Poetry As Religious Feeling: Fanny Howe and Christian Wiman in Conversation,” Festival of Faith and Writing, Calvin College, April, 2010
Chapel Talk, “An Undying Love,” Calvin College, November, 2009
Lecture/Reading, Intermediate Poetry Class, Grand Valley State University, October, 2009
Paper, “The Electric Whitman,” Society of Literature & Science, Austin, TX, October, 2003
Readings
Grand Rapids, MI. Yellow Chair Reading Series, Private Residence, February, 2020
Detroit, MI. Undocumented Reading with Poets Laureate, Pages Bookshop, June, 2019
Grand Rapids, MI. Undocumented Reading with Poets Laureate, Books & Mortar, April 2019
Portland, OR. Free Verse Editions Reading, The Jupiter Hotel, March 2019
Budapest, Hungary. “Saint with a Peacock Voice.” Károli Gáspar University, October 2018
Grand Rapids, MI. Christian Poetics Symposium. Center Art Gallery, Calvin College, June 2018
Tampa, FL. Free Verse Editions Reading, The Godfrey Hotel and Cabanas, March 2018
Ann Arbor, MI. Poetry Reading, Bookbound, May, 2017
Washington, DC. Free Verse Editions Reading, Courtyard by Marriott, February, 2017
Los Angeles, CA. Free Verse Editions Reading, Crepes Sans Frontieres, March, 2016
Grand Rapids, MI. Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA Conference: “Between Two Worlds.” Calvin College, June 2015
Grand Rapids, MI. TEDxGrandRapids, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, May, 2015
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Free Verse Editions Reading, Boneshaker Books, April, 2015
Canton, Ohio. Featured Reader, Everett L. Cattell Library, Malone College, March, 2015
Olivet, Michigan. Abbie M. Copps Poetry Reading, Olivet College, November, 2014
Spring Arbor, Michigan. Spring Arbor University, October, 2014
Raleigh, North Carolina. So & So Series, Contemporary Art Museum, September, 2014
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Poet Laureate of Grand Rapids Induction Ceremony, Ryerson
Auditorium, Grand Rapids Public Library. April, 2014
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Poetry in Michigan. Michigan in Poetry. Festival of Faith and Writing. Calvin College. April, 2014
Seattle, Washington. Sponsored by Ahsahta Press, Ugly Duckling Press, Les Figues Press, and Drunken Boat, The Alibi Room. February, 2014
Lansing, Michigan. Poetry in Michigan. Michigan in Poetry. Creole Gallery. November, 2013
Brooklyn, New York. Shitluck Reading Series. Tip Top Bar & Grill. April, 2013
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Song of the Owashtanong Book Launch. Ryerson Auditorium. April, 2013
Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Hide-and-Seek Muse Book Launch. The Lilypad. March, 2013
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grand Rapids Poets’ Conference, Grand Rapids Community College, April, 2012
Chicago, Illinois. “Chopin Salon #61: an AWP Reading,” Black Tongue Press, Chopin Theater, March, 2012
Grand Rapids, Michigan. GVSU Writers Series, Grand Valley State University, February, 2012
Iowa City, Iowa. Prairie Lights Books, September, 2011
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Schuler Books, June, 2011
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Cloud of Ink Book Launch, Richard App Gallery, May, 2011
Athens, Georgia. UGA Creative Writing Program Reading Series, CINÉ, April, 2011
Grove City, Pennsylvania. Christian Writers Conference, Grove City College, March, 2010
Kalamazoo, Michigan. Poets In Print, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, March, 2010
Cincinnati, Ohio. Bon Mot/ley Reading Series, March, 2010
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Literary Life Bookstore, December, 2010
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Festival of Faith and Writing. Calvin College, April, 2010
Kalamazoo, Michigan. Kazoo Books. November, 2009
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Interloper Book Launch, Wealthy Theater. May, 2009
Richmond, Virginia. University of Richmond. April, 2009
Grand Rapids, Michigan. DIAGRAM at Schuler Books. September, 2005
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Calvin College. September, 2004
Athens, Georgia. The University of Georgia. May, 2004
Athens, Georgia. Athens Literary Festival, Mercury Art Gallery. March, 2003
Cortona, Italy. Art and Poetry Exhibition. April, 2002
Athens, Georgia. Verse Fest. October, 2001
Athens, Georgia. The Globe. April, 2001
Athens, Georgia. The Georgia Review. November, 2000
Athens, Georgia. 5 Star Day Café. October, 1998
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Borders Books and Music. March, 1997
