Why are so many Newspoets from Urbana, IL?
Because that’s where William comes from. But Newspoetry is now an international phenomenon of non-epic proportions. Here’s William’s description of Urbana: Nestled among the featureless agri-business grids of east central llinois, Champaign-Urbana sits against the horizon like one twin small metropolis in a region protected from tornadoes by its subtle topography. Home to the nation’s oldest experimental agricultural field, and some football team, but the third largest university library in North America, this small town is the home of a disproportionate number of artists, scholars and activists. There is art here. There are quiet safe streets. But there is one of the highest per capita beer consumption rates in the United States. When the evening fades to dusty blue stained glass, the trees throw their branches across the emerging stars as if frantic apparitions fending off time’s carcinogens. On nights like these we gather quietly on porches with our cellos, baritone ukuleles and rad
