Poet Maria Zoccola inspires, strengthens student-writers

Students were treated to a visit from Maria Zoccola, our 2025-2026 Author in Residence. Zoccola is a bestselling poet whose most recent collection is "Helen of Troy,1993."
By Ian Dinkins, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

University School of Nashville welcomed poet Maria Zoccola to campus this week as part of its Author in Residence program, offering students an immersive look at the craft of writing through workshops, small-group conversations, and a public reading.

Zoccola, whose poetry collection “Helen of Troy, 1993” reimagines Greek mythology in the contemporary American South, met with High School students over the course of the week and delivered a free public reading in the Gordon Multipurpose Room.

Although multiple authors visit the USN throughout the year, the Author in Residence program aims to provide students with the opportunity to meet and talk with an author, not just about their books but about the craft of writing, and to go into greater depth than is possible with a more typical author visit. 

“I find it very cool and amazing that USN has notable figures like Zoccola come in because she is very inspiring to those of us who are interested in literature, and possibly inspiring and encouraging to those of us who are not as interested in literature or whatever the field the visitor specializes in,” said Larabi Clark ’29. 

“With the Author in Residence program, we alternate between poets and prose writers, so this was the year for poetry,” said Library Director Kate Pritchard. “Maria's book came out last year, and MS Librarian Courtney Brown was impressed after attending a previous reading.”

Humanities classes were already reading Homer’s “The Odyssey,” making Zoccola’s work, rooted in Greek mythology, a natural fit. After reaching out last summer, the school secured her visit.

During her time on campus, Zoccola guided students through creative writing exercises, including breaking down and retelling familiar stories.

In one class, students analyzed “Little Red Riding Hood,” examining themes and perspectives, then crafted reinterpretations.

“I really enjoyed Ms. Zoccola’s visit because she had a lot of interesting things about writing, poetry, and storytelling that she shared with us,” said Larabi. “One of the specific things we did during her in-class visit was breaking down fairy tales, and it was very insightful because I had never viewed a story like that in the way I had ever before.”

Larabi said the visit deepened her interest in literature beyond academic writing and mechanics.

“Her visit inspired me and gave me a significant interest in the field of literature surrounding deep and complex storytelling and meaningful poetry,” she said.

For Coco Shepard ’27, the highlight was a class on free verse poetry.

“I had a good time reading and writing poetry with her guidance,” Coco said. “She gave me great advice about the overlap of poetry and prose.”

Zoccola’s reflections on living in the South particularly interested Coco. 

“Her writing about living in the South definitely resonated with me and reminded me of other poetry I’d read in American Literature,” Coco said.

Mei Tyson ’26, who is completing an independent study focused on persona poems, first encountered Zoccola’s work over winter break after English Department Chair Freya Sachs ’00 recommended “Helen of Troy, 1993.”

“I loved it,” Mei said. “Meeting with her during lunch on Monday was super cool.”

“My independent study this semester surrounds persona poems and a style quite similar to Zoccola’s,” Mei said. “She really helped me get out of the slump I was in with my own writing. We talked about things from navigating language to exploring the boundaries of retelling an already known story, and ways to make retold stories something new.”

Mei met with Zoccola twice in small-group lunches and helped lead a lunch and learn with Zoccola for classmates.

During the lunch and learn in the Payne Library Room, Zoccola read several poems from “Helen of Troy, 1993,” her reimagining of Homer’s Iliad set in early 1990s Memphis. She described her longstanding fascination with Greek mythology, recalling that she first read “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” in ninth grade.

Zoccola also explained the concept of persona poetry and spoke candidly about self-doubt in the creative process.

“I thought I was just writing a few poems. A full book project from the beginning would have made me nervous,” she said. “It wasn’t until I was halfway done that I realized this was actually a full book with each of the poems functioning as an individual unit.”

Pritchard said students benefit from hearing directly from working writers about both the creative process and the realities of publishing.

“It’s inspiring for students to work directly with an author who takes them seriously as writers and creative thinkers,” she said.

The Author in Residence is made possible by proceeds from USN’s annual used book and media sale, Fall Book Frenzy, and reinforces a central goal of the English Department. 

“We ask our students to read as writers, to see themselves as writers,” Sachs said. “The chance to hear from writers about process and to be engaged in the writing process is significant for our students as they explore who they are, what they care about, and what might be possible.”

For Mei, the exchanges over the course of the visit can make all the difference.

“It can really widen a student’s perspective on this profession, and give guidance for those who might want to try to do something similar in the future,” she said.
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