Poet presents original work

An animated Peter
Fortunato recites a poem
about one of his horse riding
experiences in Doha titled
"Jumping for the Moon".

Senior lecturer in writing Peter Fortunato, M.F.A., recently delighted students, faculty and staff with a presentation of his own poems composed in Doha.

The distinguished poet and performer shared his most recent poems for the first time with an audience of people from WCMC–Q, Virginia Commonwealth School of the Arts in Qatar, Qatar University and Doha Players.

Mr Fortunato, who teaches literature and critical reading, writing and thinking about literature as part of WCMC–Q's First–Year Writing Seminars, said the poems were about his experiences since arriving in Doha 12 weeks ago. Poems, such as "Doha This Morning" and "A Word For The Workers of Doha" described his first days in Doha living next to a 24-hour construction site and observing the work crew outside his apartment window.

Other poems included recollections of his experiences driving along a highway in a sandstorm, managing the heat of summer, and horse riding in Qatar.

Mr Fortunato also added to his presentation a few words on the power of poetry and the human voice.

A graduate of Cornell University, with a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Mr Fortunato has received awards including the Emily Dickinson Prize of the Poetry Society of America and the Pablo Neruda Prize of the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Peter Fortunato performs
his most recently written
poems.

The audience listens to poems about the Doha experience.

Krista Dobinson, Assistant Editor/Writer