22 November 2005
Rice Hall 11
Oberlin College
Oberlin, OH 44074
U.S.A.
To Whom It May Concern:
I met Paul Nelson in the fall of 2004, when we were among the artists in residence at Centrum. Because of his outgoing, engaging personality, I have clear memories of our conversations; I also attended a poetry workshop he gave that drew about 15 people from the community.
Paul is an remarkable teacher. His knowledge extends beyond poetry and poets to music, art. and culture in general. His enthusiasm and energy can transform a group of strangers into something like a community in a matter of minutes. At the same time, however, he is extremely well-prepared. In the workshop I attended he struck a fine balance between structure and spontaneity. Comments I heard from other participants after the workshop were very positive.
Fortunately for us all, Paul is a leader in local, regional and Internet arts organizations. I recommend him highly for teaching in person or through any of the media: he has a gift for connecting with people, and connecting with them to the excitement of language.
Sincerely,
Pamela Alexander
Associate Professor
Creative Writing Program