Rowan Ricardo Phillips, a Presidential Professor and Distinguished Professor in the Department of English at Stony Brook University, was featured in the Provost Spotlight Talk on September 25. The event, titled “Why Poetry?”, was hosted by Stony Brook Provost Carl Lejuez and explored the role and impact of poetry.
Provost Lejuez opened the discussion by highlighting Phillips’ influence as both an educator and writer. “Rowan is truly a beloved professor and his work teaches us that poetry has an incredible power to help us see and understand things differently, to harness the wildly different forces of emotion and language to create something that is uniquely capable of revealing profound truths,” said Lejuez. “He’s a Stony Brook scholar who creates beauty unlike anyone else.”
Phillips began his talk by addressing the ambiguity inherent in questioning poetry’s purpose. “When you title a talk ‘Why Poetry?’ you’re already in trouble,” he said. “The phrase doesn’t stand still and won’t behave. Spoken one way, it’s a skeptic’s question. Said another way, it’s a believer’s question. Why poetry? What strange power is it that we keep turning to in moments of wonder or despair whispered late at night? The question is old because the uncertainty is old, and every poet somewhere along the way has muttered it mid-draft, staring at the page.”
He continued by reflecting on how poetry remains relevant despite society being saturated with words: “In a world drowning in words, poetry survives by asking for less,” Phillips said. “Not thousands of words, just a few. Not a torrent, but a drop distilled. One drop strong enough to change the bloodstream. It holds open a space where words can once again be trusted, where they can carry truth, where they can make human lives intelligible to one another in fractured times. It steadies us by showing that language can still bear meaning, that a small flame can last even in a gale.”
Phillips emphasized how poetry fosters connection among people: “To encounter a poem is to hear another voice, sometimes centuries old, sometimes close at hand, saying, ‘I felt this, I saw this, I endured this.’ And in that instant, the private becomes shareable. We realize we are not alone, and suddenly a bridge is built, made of nothing but air and syllables, yet somehow sturdier.”
During an informal conversation after his lecture with Provost Lejuez about formative experiences with literature growing up, Phillips recalled his mother reciting Shakespeare: “I grew up with my mother always reciting Shakespeare,” he said. “But everything had a context. She had passages of Shakespeare for everything—good or bad... Most people get Shakespeare in a book; I was getting it recited when I was 10.”
Asked about his favorite poem during their discussion on creative process and inspiration for students studying literature or writing themselves professionally later down life paths such as translation/essayist careers like those undertaken so far throughout academic/professional journey thus far; Phillips responded: "I have completely non-hierarchical mind—they’re like my kids... My favorite poem is next one I’m going write."
Reflecting on what he learns from teaching students at Stony Brook University: "I thought my students when titled this talk Why Poetry?... They ask essential questions... I've had some very real conversations with students who are complicated space just choosing study this... Also come back sense stakes—I think students who study arts very brave there lot stakes involved..."
Phillips described how teaching influences his own approach: "I've learned different strategies ways which old art sound new because their point reference not same mine... They teach me different angles points entry into art which incredibly necessary parts being..."
Aminah Augustin-Muhammad ’25 praised her experience learning from Phillips: "I've been looking forward event weeks... He answers questions already had but also opens up new questions... He didn't just answer 'Why Poetry?' Instead dissected question itself..."
Concluding his remarks on why poetry matters today—and personally—Phillips stated: "Because it creates recognition because takes what most fragile fleeting makes durable allows us say one another 'I see you'... Poetry candle carried into room does not cure dark does not rebuild what broken but allows us see one another's faces from recognition face-to-face everything else begin..."