Two members of the Academy’s English department — John Knapp and Norah Doss — have had work published recently.
John Knapp’s latest publication examines the 18th-century British poet Thomas Gray and the probable source of one of his poems. It appears in Notes and Queries, a peer-reviewed journal published by Oxford University.
“Over the years, John has been known to periodically find (and share) poems left in odd spots here on campus that often seem to have taken their inspiration from some of the 18th-century greats,” says English Department Chair Scottie Buron. “But this work is written by John himself, and it explores the likelihood that Gray, having read and studied Ancient Greek language and literature while he crafted his own work, ‘Hymn to Adversity,’ was likely inspired by the second-century CE Greek poet Mesomedes.”
Norah Doss’s essay, “Superbloom” — a beautiful piece about scents and memory, was published in The Scent Strip, Vol. 5: Verdant Visions 2026. “Norah’s work reflects her love of poetry and attention to beauty in the world,” Scottie says. “She told me that she was instructed to ‘add more perfume’ before her writing was accepted.”
