305 Kensington Road is a home in Sunset Hills, just down from The University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG). It is a property with a yard that has been well loved and tended. It was also the home of Fred Chappell, esteemed author, poet, and emeritus professor at UNCG from 1997-2002. He was poet laureate of North Carolina from 1997-2002. Fred Chappell was born in Canton, North Carolina (about 20 miles west of Asheville in Haywood County), in 1938. He died recently- this past January 4th- at the age of 86. If you want to know more about him, and have an hour, the PBS documentary, "I Am One of You Forever" is well worth your time. Also, here is a conversation from 2022 where a big take-away is poetry was his passion and he was very humble- even with all of his accomplishments. This quote expresses nicely his love of poetry, "It seems to me, [poetry is] the most natural kind of a speech there is. It’s the most natural, the most elevated, and the most fun — poetry is always attractive. Everybody is immersed in poetry, whether they know it or not."*
The property on Kensington is for sale now. Those who tour the home will notice the garden. The rhododendron are about to bloom, the hellebores are already in bloom, the daffodils have arrived. The next owner will be the new keeper of the garden and a charming abode with lots of book shelves. Fred Chappell was well liked and respected by students, colleagues, and the public at large. The New York Times referred to him as an "admired but unsung writer of the south". He may be gone, but, indeed, he will be one of us forever.
Happy Friday!
*(Woodward's article in Smoky Mountain News, page visited 2/22/24).
I am one of you forever
A beautiful home.
Posted by: William Kendall | Friday, February 23, 2024 at 03:55 PM