It’s already the Vernal Equinox, and I have been slow at updating my blog. Feeling a bit guilty. Not a bit.
Last month, Suzanne Eikenberry of Montpelier Alive suggested that I attend a meeting of the Promotions Committee. I was already writing the weekly e-newsletter and had earlier mentioned my interest in stepping into the role of Art Walk coordinator, if Art Walk was in need of one. Rob Hitzig of the Lazy Pear had been coordinator, but he closed the gallery in January to focus on his wood craft, and was unsure if he would continue.
The Art Walk story is one for another post. In that initial meeting, Suzanne mentioned that someone at the library was putting together a poetry display in downtown Montpelier for the National Poetry Month. I ended up contacting Rachel Senechal, the Program and Development Coordinator of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, to indicate my interest and volunteer my services.
She, along with Ryan Deery, the library’s Vista Member, had wanted to ask downtown retailers to display a poem throughout the month of April. So began POETRY Alive! When I met them, they had already put together a sizable list of Vermont-based poets, pulled their books from the shelves, and received some commitments from local businesses. Vermont poets gave us a theme and made it easier to obtain permissions. I helped them to identify more poets, wrote up a call for poetry and sent it off to my networks—and went home with an armload of books to read.
Suzanne came by and took a photo of us on Saint Patrick’s Day.
We’ve collected poems from 80+ poets, matched them to about 30+ businesses. The display will feature work from teenagers as well as adults. We have unpublished writers as well as established poets. And Vermonters who live on through their legacies like Grace Paley and Robert Frost. The selection reflects a variety of writing styles. We had a short deadline, and so not everyone is included here. But I’m really happy to have this many different people in the exhibition.
Also as varied are the businesses that chose to participate: Montpelier Pharmacy, Chittenden Bank, First in Fitness, along with bookstores, eateries, boutiques and others. Many of them requested more than one poem. The library itself will be a poetry trove—installing 25 poems throughout the entire building. Each venue decided how to display the work. The Hunger Mountain Co-op will hand-paint haikus on the café windows, so diners can read them while also enjoying the view of the river. The Knitting Studio will create a knitted piece inspired by Mary Elder Jacobsen of North Calais. Birchgrove Baking will create an artfully decorated cake display inspired by Phyllis Larrabee of Woodbury. And Artisans Hand Craft Gallery will have an outdoor poetry garden that “grows” throughout the month, using poems by Cora Brooks and Jonah Neale, both of Montpelier.
We’ll be installing a “preview” on Monday, featuring a selection of work from Montpelier High School. It will be in the window of the former Capitol Video space on Main Street, across from City Hall.
In the meanwhile, we’re working on the guide/map and writing press releases, doing radio spots, and spreading the word. I hope to run into many poetry lovers strolling through the streets of our little town next month. I’m looking forward to our busy business district transforming into a walkable anthology of contemporary Vermont poetry. See you there.
