The poetic circle convenes poets, translators, and poetry lovers over Zoom to share original work, translations, and/or works they love that honor a predetermined theme. Originally formed during the Pandemic by poet and literary scholar Dr. Fatemeh Shams for faculty and graduate students at Penn, we are thrilled to host this Circle and open it up to our community! This is an opportunity to share and discuss pieces (whether poetry, experimental short fiction, musical interpretations, etc.), workshop works in progress, and be in community with other lovers of poetry, literature and music. Works in non-English languages are welcome and encouraged!

Medieval adjective /ˌmediˈiːvl/, /ˌmiːdˈiːvl/

connected with the Middle Ages (about AD 1000 to AD 1450); having a quality (such as cruelty) associated with the (European) Middle Ages; extremely outmoded or antiquated

Serfdom, plague, and pogroms, oh my! A period renowned in Europe for its advances in torture, savagery, and antiquated attitudes, the word “medieval” brings to mind all things backward, gruesome, and down-right nasty. In contrast, the Middle Ages marked an epoch of expansive cultural, artistic, and technological exchange and growth in Byzantine and Islamic civilizations.

So break out the old astrolabe and grab a turkey leg! Join us in celebrating some very absurd extremes of cultural production & human existence.

Readers are given a 15 minute slot to read and receive feedback/facilitate discussion.