Zephyr Poetry Society (Fall 2026): The Metaphysical Poets

The Zephyr Poetry Society is a venue for those interested in exploring and connecting themselves more closely with the rich tradition of English poetry.

At the core of each meeting is the collective reading and discussion of individual poems. Through these discussions, we will hone our analytical skills, isolating the various aesthetically relevant features of the poem (meter, imagery, content, etc.) and asking how these contribute to its overall effect. Analysis, however, will always be subordinated to our primary aim: a richer and more articulate aesthetic experience of the poem as a work of art.

Dinner will be provided for participants at each session.

Eligibility

Current university students (both graduate and undergraduate) and recent graduates (≤10 years since graduation) are welcome to participate.

Schedule

In Fall 2026, we will be reading selections from the so-called metaphysical poets: 17th-century writers of devotional poetry famous for the intricacy of their conceits. We will cover the following poets on the following days:

September 22 — George Herbert

October 6 — John Donne

October 20 — Henry Vaughan

November 3 — Andrew Marvell & Richard Crashaw

No reading is required in advance of a given meeting: we will read each poem together (usually twice) before discussing.

About the speaker

Landon Hobbs is Research Fellow and Director of Academic Programs at the Zephyr Institute. His research focuses on Ancient Greek philosophy, especially the theoretical philosophy of Aristotle. He received his PhD from Stanford University in 2023 and is currently pursuing a research project on the content, justification, and use of the ancient metaphysical principle that the cause must precontain its effect.