Professor’s posthumous work keeps students involved

Feb. 15, 2019 LA GRANDE, Ore. –  Eastern Oregon University students enrolled in Professional Publishing and Editing during the fall term will unveil their work Feb. 23 at the launch for Thomas Madden’s posthumous collection of poems, “This Dialect of Grass.”

Madden, a former EOU English professor, had published two other collections of poems during his life. With support from the EOU Foundation, students worked closely with his family to identify and arrange the text to best approximate the author’s intent.

“This Dialect of Grass,” explores place, family and history. The collection was published by basalt press, publishers of the award-winning “basalt: a journal of fine and literary arts” in which a number of the poems in this collection first appeared. A native of Montana, Madden studied with poet Richard Hugo, and prior to his retirement in 2000, Madden taught English and Journalism at EOU.

“Tom was fond of Walter Pater’s statement that ‘All art constantly aspires to the condition of music,’” said EOU student Emmalyn Guzman, who along with her classmates, contributed to the publication of “This Dialect of Grass.”

“We made every effort to honor this musical preference in our choices,” Guzman said

Close colleagues and family members of Madden will be reading selections from “This Dialect of Grass,” and a recorded performance of musical settings of Madden’s poems by the Grande Ronde Community Choir will be featured during the event. Members of the public are welcome to attend this free event from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Art Center East.

Copies of “This Dialect of Grass” will be available for purchase and all proceeds from the sales support the Thomas Madden Memorial Scholarship. Donations to the scholarship fund will also be accepted at the event, as well as through the EOU Foundation which provided a grant in support of this student project.

Those interested in attending with additional questions may contact the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at 541-962-3859.