Poet Rane Arroyo’s death a ‘great tragedy and loss’
Written by Kristen Criswell | | krapin@toledofreepress.comRane Arroyo, a poet and UT creative writing professor, died May 7 of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Rane Arroyo
“His death is a great tragedy and loss for poetry and Puerto Rican literature in the United States,” said Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes, a Latino studies and Spanish professor at the University of Michigan.
Arroyo was a mentor to La Fountain-Stokes, who said Arroyo was very generous with his fellow writers and fellow poets. Arroyo visited La Fountain-Stokes’ classes for presentations.
“He was an incredibly funny and warm person who was gifted as an artist. He had an ability to translate his experiences as a gay man and a Latino from Chicago, and the experiences with his family and with his partner. He was able to translate all of that into poetry that was accessible and that was in the grade of the great American and English poets,” La Fountain-Stokes said.
La Fountain-Stokes said Arroyo used his poetry to share his experiences as a gay and Latino man in the United States and show that Latinos have something to say in American Literature.
“In the U.S,. where gay and Latino people have been looked down upon, his work is very pertinent for our political atmosphere,” he said.
Arroyo began teaching at UT in the fall of 1997. He taught creative writing and literature and served as a board member of The Association of Writers and Writing Programs.
“He has been one of the most respected and loved professors of creative writing in our department. A gifted poet, he was our colleague and we will miss him very much,” said Sara Lundquist, English department chairwoman.
John Dorsey, a local poet, author of “Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw’s Prayer” and a Toledo Free Press contributor, said, “I can remember first being handed the work of Rane Arroyo, not long after I moved to the Toledo area in the winter of 2003. There was a mutual respect between us that I have felt with very few poets since. I am not alone in my admiration, having crossed paths with many who have held his life and his work in high regard, including the editors of the online magazine Blood Lotus, who counted him as one of the primary inspirations for the publication’s founding.
“I recently spoke to one of his students, who talked to me about the passion with which he approached his work and brought into his classroom every day, a passion that is clear to anyone that has ever read and appreciated his work. I gave that same student a copy of my latest book to give to him; I only hope that he got to read it and see how much of an impact he not only had on students, but writers like myself and all those around him.”
Arroyo was recently named a Distinguished University Professor, UT’s highest honor for a professor, Lundquist said.
“He was a wonderful poet. I think that his stature as outspoken courageous gay Latino poet is quite extraordinary,” said Joel Lipman, a fellow English professor and Lucas County’s first Poet Laureate.
The author of 10 poetry books, seven published plays, a book of short stories and 10 performed plays, Arroyo also won an array of writing awards. His distinctions included the John Ciardi Poetry Prize, the Carl Sandburg Poetry Prize and a Pushcart Prize.
“He certainly was an enormously productive well-published poet,” Lipman said.
No memorial plans had been made by the UT English Department at presstime, but Lundquist said a memorial will take place.
Tags: Rane Arroyo, University of Toledo
I went home after and shared this news with my children who all went to UT. My eldest had Rane in several of her classes over 10 years ago and was so stricken by the news. She indicated he was by far one of the best professors she ever had at UT.
This comment was posted on May 13th, 2010 at 9:26 amI went home after and shared this news with my children who all went to UT. My eldest had Rane in several of her classes over 10 years ago and was so stricken by the news. She indicated he was by far one of the best professors she ever had at UT.
This comment was posted on May 13th, 2010 at 9:27 amRane and Glenn are my brothers. There are few I love as much – even fewer I respect more. It is not our grief, but love, that connects us throughout the universe disregarding time and space. Rane will always be with us. And for all those pretentious phonies out there (and you all know who you are) grieve not for the loss of Rane, open your minds and celebrate him and all he represented.
This comment was posted on May 13th, 2010 at 12:33 pmShine on, you beautiful spirit, you.
What a tragic, tragic loss for all of us. I am shocked and heartbroken. Rane was one of my professors in graduate school and I learned so much from him. I considered him a friend. His passion and talent will be missed. My condolences to Glenn and Rane’s family and friends.
This comment was posted on May 13th, 2010 at 2:26 pmThank you for honoring the memory of Rane Arroyo, longterm partner of the poet Glenn Sheldon (who also teached at the University of Toledo). Rane will be greatly missed.
This comment was posted on May 13th, 2010 at 5:02 pmRane Arroyo was a beloved friend of mine … a poet for the people, including Native people such as myself. Amy, I know what you are saying … but such brilliance as Rane’s always endures and soon enough buries the soulless ones in its blaze. I never had to explain myself to Rane; always he was profoundly perceptive, understanding, and supportive of me and my writing. This country and all the world lost one of its greatest poets and human beings last week … but, of course, all of Rane Arroyo’s writing will shine on and remind others of how to be. Thank you, Sweet Rane, for being so magical and playful, for gracing this mountain Indian existence in such splendid ways … & Glenn Sheldon, Rane’s longtime beloved, is of equal brilliance and gracing. My heart, my heart.
This comment was posted on May 14th, 2010 at 1:40 amRane was a fierce friend, a defender of those with no voice, my brother. The loss is something hard to bare but if l listen closely, I can hear him as his firend speak of what he meant to them.
This comment was posted on May 14th, 2010 at 7:34 amI can´t believe this. I corresponded with Rane, met him once, and published a long poem of his that he wrote for a special edition of Midwestern Miscellany that I edited. He was the real deal, a true poet. His work will live. May Glenn and all Rane´s family find comfort in good memories of this good man.
This comment was posted on May 14th, 2010 at 11:45 pmI was fortunate to have Rane as a professor this semester. I adored him. He was funny and kind and always made it known that his students had something unique and important to say. He was such a gentle, warm, genuine person. I can honestly say that he is the best teacher I’ve had at UT in all my four years there, and I will always remember him fondly. He made my creative writing class a joy. I looked forward to going to class, which is something that rarely happens. On the last day of class a couple of weeks ago, he bought us all pizza, and we just hung out and talked. He was an amazing man, and I’m completely heartbroken that he’s gone. I was planning on keeping in touch with him since his opinion meant a lot to me. I’m proud to say I was one of Rane’s students. He was spectacular. I’ve never met anyone else like him and I never will. I love you, Rane.
This comment was posted on May 15th, 2010 at 1:06 amI studied under this great man for several years, a man who brought out the best in his students by requiring nothing more of them than to be themselves. Rane was always fiercely himself. I am better for having known him, as is the world.
This comment was posted on May 16th, 2010 at 11:17 amAs is clear from the above comments, Rane touched many through his writing, teaching, mentoring and friendship. I never met Rane but had the opportunity to exchange a few emails with him about a project he was working on. In those few email exchanges, his generosity, intelligence and kindness came through. This is a tragic loss.
This comment was posted on May 16th, 2010 at 5:58 pmHe was the kind of teacher who changed lives and, at the very least, elicited the best from his students. I am saddened by all the unfinished poems waiting for his touch, but rejoice in what clearly was a life well lived.
This comment was posted on May 18th, 2010 at 9:18 amI only just heard about Rane’s death. We never met in person, but had a powerful connection, mostly via email, speaking to each other about being queer Puerto Rican poets living with sick bodies. I treasured our friendship and am so sad that he’s gone.
This comment was posted on June 7th, 2010 at 2:21 pmThis is so sad–as everyone has said, Rane was a heartfelt and genuine person, deeply committed to issues of community, identity, and humanity; and so fun-loving! I met him when he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP)–I had been elected the previous year. I was lucky to be living and teaching in Cleveland–he was in Toledo. When he invited me to read there, I met Glenn and so many of his colleagues and students–everyone loved and respected him. He was friendly, vulnerable, really there with whomever he was conversing–no pretensions, totally present. A wonderful poet–clear, concise, funny, with the punch of pathos in every line.
I was concerned about him–he had a couple of health emergencies during his years on the Board of AWP, one which almost took him at the time. Yet a few weeks later, at the big AWP Conference, he was fully there, fully engaged, and his hotel room was Party Central!! So though I am sad at his passing, his life was a celebration of joy and human engagement.
I hope that he is dancing the salsa in heaven with Federico Garcia Lorca, Allen Ginsberg, Agha Shahid Ali, and all the other poets whose “ancient, glittering eyes were gay.”
This comment was posted on June 25th, 2010 at 3:45 am