A. Van Jordan: The Suspension of Disbelief (July 2012)

In this lecture, A. Van Jordan meditates on Coleridge’s notion of the “willing suspension of disbelief” as it applies to modern poetry, prose narrative, and film. Jordan discusses the concept of poetic faith and the implicit contract between poet and reader requiring that a poem move toward a satisfying ending. By means of close readings of Martha Collins’ Blue Front, Laura Kasischke’s “Stolen Shoes,” and Natasha Trethewey’s Native Guard, Jordan considers some successful conclusions.