SR0474 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0474 LRB101 12701 MST 61424 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Robin O. Metz, who passed away on November 27, 2018 at the age of 76; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz was born on January 4, 1942; in 1960, he graduated from Baldwin High School in Pennsylvania, where he lettered in football, baseball, and wrestling; he was later awarded a football scholarship to Princeton University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1964; he went on to the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he earned a master's degree in fine arts in 1967; and

WHEREAS, At the Iowa Writers' Workshop, Robin Metz studied with novelist Philip Roth, his first writing mentor; acclaimed novelist Kurt Vonnegut also greatly influenced his distinguished career; after leaving the workshop, he began teaching at Knox College in Galesburg in 1967, where he remained for 51 years; never having retired, he earned the distinction of longest-serving member of the Knox faculty; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz was an internationally-recognized poet and author; he was a co-founder and director of Knox's renowned Program in Creative Writing, where he served as director from 1985 onward; he held the Philip Sidney Post Professorship of English, teaching all levels of writing at Knox, from introductory courses in fiction, poetry, and playwriting, to Senior Portfolio, the capstone experience for all writing majors, as well as literature courses, including Modern English/Irish Literature and Contemporary American Fiction; as of last year, he was developing new courses, including Poetry for the Clouds and Environmental Literature, Film, and Art; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz was known for his focus on the creative process, for developing and mentoring student authors, for leading students across the pond at Knox for coursework in London Arts Alive, and for teaching writing about the natural imagination in a renovated horse barn 20 miles from campus at Knox's Green Oaks Biological Field Station; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz married Elizabeth Carlin, a fellow instructor at Knox, the chair of the Knox Theater Department, and the Smith V. Brand Distinguished Professor of Theatre, in 1995; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz and Liz Carlin Metz lived in Galesburg and at Buck Creek Farm in Ferryville, Wisconsin, which included a renovated 1850 farmhouse; they opened the farm, situated a quarter mile from the Mississippi River, to students as a retreat during Knox Farm term; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz had a tremendous appreciation for nature, particularly at his Ferryville farm, where he planted 25,000 trees and learned about bird song, wild flowers, and trees; and

WHEREAS, The poems, short stories, and other works of fiction by Robin Metz were published countless times; he presented his work internationally in 24 nations and approximately 80 American cities; in 2018, three of his poems were published in The American Writers Review; he also presented a reading of his poetry as the featured reader at The Yale University Club in Manhattan and will be represented in a forthcoming book derived from a year of the Yale Poets reading series; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz received many awards, including the Ranier Maria Rilke International Poetry Prize for his book of poetry, Unbidden Angel, the Dylan Thomas Poetry Prize, the Marshall Frankel American Fiction Prize, the Caterpillar Faculty Achievement Award for outstanding creative and scholarly achievement, and Knox's Philip Green Wright Prize for distinguished teaching for both junior and senior faculty; and

WHEREAS, Together, Robin Metz and Liz Carlin Metz founded Vitalist Theatre, a critically-acclaimed and award-winning Chicago-based theatre company; Robin also served as the faculty advisor to Catch, Knox's award-winning literary and arts journal; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz had begun the practice of bringing to Knox poets, fiction writers, playwrights, screenwriters, essayists, and scholars to share their work and impress upon students the wonders of the spoken and written word; he and Liz established the Robin Metz Fund for the Creative Arts to honor his more than half-century legacy to Knox's English Department and to continue this interaction between artists and the Knox community in perpetuity; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz was an admired mentor, influential teacher, and dear friend to many of his former students with whom he maintained endearing friendships, including Senator Don Harmon, English writing major, Knox College Class of 1988; and

WHEREAS, Robin Metz is survived by his wife, Liz Carlin Metz; his daughters, Lisa Metz and Ronnah Metz; and his grandsons, Griffin Belzer, Ben Belzer, Duncan Metz Beard, and Ambrose Metz Beard; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Robin O. Metz and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Robin Metz and to Knox College as an expression of our deepest sympathy.