National Poetry Month

Cape Ann Museum and the Sawyer Free Library present an Afternoon of Painting and Poetry this Saturday!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Cape Ann Museum and the Sawyer Free Library this Saturday, April 2nd for an afternoon of painting and poetry.

At 1:00 pm, Patrick Doud will give a presentation at the Cape Ann Museum at its Downtown Campus, located at 27 Pleasant Street, in conjunction with Cape Ann Modern on the paintings of Thorpe Feidt.

Created over more than half a century to date, Thorpe Feidt’s vast, unified body of work is discussed by poet and novelist Patrick Doud. Drawing on multivalent influences including poetry, jazz, fiction and alchemical intuition/lore, Feidt’s praxis results in numinously powerful paintings in which oppositional forces birth new energies. 

Then at 2:30 pm, head to Sawyer Free Library, located at 2 Dale Avenue, for an afternoon of readings by local poets Nadine Boughton, the author of the recently self-published book “In the Lap of the Night,” Jay Featherstone, the author of “Glass,” and Jim Dunn to celebrate the start of National Poetry Month.

For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

Sawyer Free Library’s “Poetry Without Paper” Contest taking submissions through April 30th

~ Sawyer Free Library

Each spring, hundreds of young students throughout Gloucester are inspired to express themselves through poetry and prose thanks to the annual Poetry Without Paper Contest sponsored by the Sawyer Free Library.

Organized by Sawyer Free Library‘s Children’s Librarian Christy Rosso and acclaimed poet and former Gloucester Poet Laureate John Ronan, the contest is an opportunity for local school children of all ages to showcase their writing and creativity in a supportive environment and win top prizes.

With the competition in full swing culminating on the last day of National Poetry Month, April 30, children and teens who live in Gloucester or attend Gloucester schools are encouraged to submit 1-3 original poems on any theme to the Library. Participants can choose to set their poems to video, images, and or music. Each poem may be no longer than 30 lines, be the student’s own work, and previously unpublished.

Winners will be chosen from each age group: high school, middle school, and elementary school. First-place winners in all categories receive $100 Cape Ann gift certificates, second-place winners received $50 gift certificate, and third-place winners receive a poetry book. All winning poets receive a certificate, present their poems at a Spring awards ceremony and receive an invitation to appear on 1623 Studio’s production, The Writer’s Block with John Ronan. All winning work will also be published online by the Library.

The poems must be submitted through the Library website at SawyerFreeLibrary.org by April 30. For questions, contact the Children’s Librarian at crosso@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Sawyer Free Library's “Poetry without Paper” Marks its 18th Anniversary
2019 Poetry Without Paper Winners

The Life and Poetry of Mary Oliver presented by the Sawyer Free Library on April 8th

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Sawyer Free Library in celebrating National Poetry Month for explore the Life, Natural World & Poetry of Mary Oliver, presented by Andrea Brandeis on Thursday, April 8 from  7 – 8:30pm.

Mary Oliver was one of America’s most treasured poets, whose honors include the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Her poetry explores the interconnectedness of spirituality and the natural world. This virtual program is intended for anyone– from beginner explorers of poetry to experts. This program will be held via Zoom.  

Register here for the event. The Zoom link will be sent out 15 minutes before the presentation begins. If you register after that, there may be a small delay.

For more information on all the the programs being offered at the Library, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org