The gift of poetry
The audience listens to a poetry reading in Woodstock, Vermont, on Wednesday. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Poetry has its own unique power to inspire, and people gathered to enjoy that inspiration at a socially distanced poetry reading on Wednesday in Woodstock, Vermont.
That sparkling October day, about 25 people showed up to hear a local poetry group read their work on the steps of the Norman Williams Public Library. The group read from a new collection of their poems, called "Wednesday Poets". It includes the work of Pamela Ahlen, Peggy Brightman, Blair Brooks, Jon Escher, Laura Foley, Debby Franzoni, Jill Herrick-Lee, Brooke Herter James, Wendy Ann Smith and Sarah Dickenson Snyder.
Like so many groups these days, The Wednesday Poets now meet over Zoom. Their twice-weekly meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays used to be held at the North Chapel Universalist Society in Woodstock Village. Proceeds from the book benefit the North Chapel, as a thank-you for allowing the group to use space in the church. The North Chapel’s pastor, Rev. Dr. Leon Dunkley, penned the book's introduction.
A number of the poets mentioned they were pleasantly surprised to see the big crowd at Wednesday's event. For sure, people haven't been able to see this kind of event very much this year.
"I think a lot of people were excited to get out of their houses and see other people," said poet Laura Foley, who resides in South Pomfret.
Though the group now meets on Zoom, she said the connective impact of poetry still happens.
"You get to know each other on a deep level," Foley said.
Foley, the author of seven poetry collections, received a starred Kirkus Review for “Why I Never Finished My Dissertation” and has won numerous awards and national recognition. Jill Herrick-Lee’s poetry has appeared in various collections, including The Endicott Review and Zingology. Sarah Dickenson Snyder has three poetry collections; her 2018 work “Notes from a Nomad” was nominated for the Massachusetts Book Awards.
Much of Wednesday’s crowd stayed through the whole reading, gripped by the opportunity to experience some inspired words of poetry. Woodstock resident Judith Taylor loved the event.
"We needed to be gathered in this kind of grace," Taylor said. "With so many other kinds of gatherings going on all over, this was redemptive, and poetry does that for us."
Debby Franzoni began the evening by reading the words of Blair Brooks, a member of the The Wednesday Poets who passed away last year. Brooks delved into writing poetry after retiring from his job as an internal medicine physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. He was a well-known coach in the Upper Valley and was a mentor and friend to many people.
"His wise, kind spirit remains at the heart and soul of our group," his bio reads in the book. Brooks' own book of poetry, "The Spaces In Between", was published posthumously in 2019. Franzoni read from that poem of the same name, and also from another by Brooks in "Wednesday Poets", called "Marching On". The latter poem reads, in part:
There are no guarantees.
Except time — it will march on.
Pay attention.
Don't miss the moments — even the tiny ones.
Each reader on Wednesday shared two poems, to warm applause from the audience. Meg Brazill, who works at the library, tearfully thanked everyone for a lovely, moving evening. She enjoyed seeing the audience gathered in front of the library.
"I think it's clear they're interested in engaging with other people, and poetry is a great way to do that," Brazill said.
In Dunkley’s introduction to the new book, "Wednesday Poets", he sums up the power of poetry nicely: "Just as the inner life blossoms and the outer life is thrown to flame, poetry helps us to love this world more deeply, this ever changing world of flowers and fire."
— Gareth Henderson
