Swenson Visiting Writer: Gion Davis

Gion Davis is a poet-performer who tours with the group Clementine Was Right. Gion visited USU on March 19, 2026, as the Swenson Visiting Writer, where he gave a craft talk and read from his new collection Designated Stranger.

Gion shared that Designated Stranger was born out of a road trip. While touring California with friends in a band, he performed his poems to music for the first time during a set at Sacramento’s Torch Club.

During his craft talk, Gion emphasized the difference between poetry on the page and poetry that is performed. He asked students to read aloud Larry Levis’ “Elegy with a Thimbleful of Water in the Cage,” then played a recording of Levis reading his own poem, asking students to analyze the way Levis embodies the piece.  

He encouraged students to perform their poetry and suggested that when they read it, they should slow down and try to convince people they have never read it aloud before.

In a world where poetry is no longer considered mainstream, such as how it was respected at concerts and meetings in the Beat generation, Gion encouraged students to “force community” and interact with people beyond scholars and poets. 

Brady Parsons, a creative writing senior, attended both the craft talk and the reading. He reflects, “Gion really showed up in a way that felt authentic. The way he answered questions seemed approachable, even as impressive as I found his work. It was empowering to me as a writer, seeing an author address his heart in such a grounded way. I think the craft talks offer us a chance to strip away some of the mystique around creative careers that can otherwise make them look intimidating.”