Poem 'Night' by Carl Phillips

Carl Phillips ’81, professor of English and of African and African American Studies at Washington University, delivers his Phi Beta Kappa poem, titled "Night," at the 218th Literary Exercises on Tuesday morning...

Carl Phillips ’81, professor of English and of African and African American Studies at Washington University, delivers his Phi Beta Kappa poem, titled "Night," at the 218th Literary Exercises on Tuesday morning.

Text copyright (c) 2008 Carl Phillips

Listen to the live audio recording.

Most popular

Harvard art historian Jennifer Roberts teaches the value of immersive attention

Teaching students the value of deceleration and immersive attention

How MAGA Went Mainstream at Harvard

Trump, TikTok, and the pandemic are reshaping Gen Z politics.

Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival

Without Christopher Marlowe, there might not have been a Bard.

Explore More From Current Issue

Catherine Zipf smiling, wearing striped shirt and dark sweater outdoors.

Preserving the History of Jim Crow Era Safe Havens

Architectural historian Catherine Zipf is building a database of Green Book sites.  

Johnston Gate

Your Views on Harvard’s Standoff, Antisemitism, and More

Readers comment on the controversial July-August cover, authoritarianism, and scientific research.

Man, standing in small group of people outside the courthouse, holding a sign that reads "HANDS OFF HARVARD" in red letters

Harvard’s Summer in Court

What Columbia’s settlement means for the University