Reading, Booksigning and Celebration of
Hear a Poet, There a Poet: A Pioneer Valley Anthology

Join former Northampton poet laureate Lesléa Newman and a gathering of local poets to celebrate the publication of Hear a Poet, There a Poet: A Pioneer Valley Anthology on Wednesday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m. at the Forbes Library in Northampton.

Hear a Poet, There a Poet began as a column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, featuring the work of local poets every other week. With the generous support of a grant from the Northampton Arts Council, and donations from the Poetry Center at Smith College and Wohl Family Dentistry, Newman was able to collect the poems into a book, which showcases the talents of poets in the Pioneer Valley. In addition to the 45 poems that were featured in the column, the book includes the three winners of the Paradise Poetry Prize.

“I’m especially proud of the book because it features such a variety of poets,” Newman said. “The book contains work by poets who had never been published before, and work by poets who have had their own books published and won national awards.”

Poets who will be reading their work along with Newman include Janet Aalfs, Jim Bell, Sally Bellerose, Floyd Cheung, Oonagh Doherty, Diana Gordon, Tzivia Gover, Andrea Hairston, Wil Hastings, Katharine Hazen, Maryann Jennings, Ellen LaFleche, Henry Lymnan, Janet MacFadyen, Rich Michelson, Michael Miller, Mary Clare Powell, Martina Robinson, Mike Ryan, Carl Sesar, Jonathan Stevens, Susan Stinson, Gail Thomas, Tommy Twilite, George Williams, and Jane Yolen (reading a poem written by her late husband, David Stemple).

Books will be sold the night of the event, and are also available at Broadside Books, Booklink Booksellers, Paradise Copies, Hungry Ghost Bakery, R. Michelson Galleries, the Odyssey Bookshop, Cup and Top Café, and the Daily Hampshire Gazette office.

For more information about the reading at Forbes Library on Wednesday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m., please contact: Lisa Downing at 413-587-1017.