Altoona English professor publishes essay on catalog poems, collaboration

ALTOONA, Pa. - Erin Murphy, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, has published a new craft essay in "Cleaver Magazine." "All the Things: Writing Catalog Poems" focuses on catalog - or "list" - poetry. The form, which can be observed as far back as Homer's "The Iliad," involves exploring an idea through a list of related images.

In the essay, Murphy discusses her prize-winning list poem "The Internet of Things," along with works by such contemporary poets as Ellen Bass, Chen Chen, Morgan Parker, and Kelli Russell Agodon. She argues that the form is ideal for collaborative poetry projects, such as "In My America," her 2021 college-wide initiative featuring lines by Penn State Altoona students, faculty, and staff.

Murphy is the author or editor of more than a dozen books, most recently "Human Resources," published in June. She is the poet laureate of Blair County and poetry editor of "The Summerset Review."