University of Tennessee faculty member, Marilyn Kallet, performed a poetry reading as a tribute to Valentine’s Day.

The organization, Writers in the Library, hosted the event on Feb. 12 in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of Hodges Library.  Afterward was a reception, a “chocolate orgy” in the words of Kallet, following the poetry reading. Having written 12 books, Kallet has accomplished many things in her life.

Her latest feat is her new revised book of translations called, “Last Love Poems of Paul Eluard.”

The French surrealist love poet, Eluard, was a Jewish man who lived a turbulent love life. After his first wife had an affair with his friend and his second wife died during their marriage, Eluard developed a variety of love poetry. Kallet brought a friend of hers to read a few of her poems before she began.

She read a few of her own poems to start the reading. It was as if she were telling a story to the watchful students. Instead of just reading the poems, she had them memorized and acted them. She used her entire body and voice to express the words.

Like reading a play, it is sometimes better understood when it is performed. The audience really responded at the beginning of her poem “You’re So Vain.” She asked the audience to sing a few bars of the popular 1970s hit. The poem was about a frog that thought he was so wonderful because all these women wanted to kiss him.

In the end the frog gave them warts. The metaphor comparing men to frogs made the audience laugh out loud at the end of the poem.

Kallet then performed her translations from Eluard and explained the challenges of having to maintain the essence of the poem and make it reader-friendly. There is foul language in the original poem, but Kallet had to edit it out. She had to use her own creativity, but not deviate from Eluard’s work.

The final poem read was Eluard’s “Even when we sleep.” It was about how love is ever-present in our lives. Kallet’s performance was full of life and nice introduction to Valentine’s Day.

Writers in the Library put on numerous events during the school year and they are free and open to the public. Some of their upcoming events include Keith Flynn on March 26 and a performance, in April, of the fiction and poetry winners at the university.