William Stafford (1914-1994) committed himself to a poetic stance of neutrality and susceptibility to the moment. He won the National Book Award, the Shelley Memorial Award, and a Guggenheim award, among others. Robert Bly has published 12 books of poetry and has brought the poetry of many other cultures into English. He is also known as a pioneer of the “men’s movement.”

American Sign Language interpreter will be present.

Bradstreet, Wheatley, Lazarus,and Rukeyser: These four under-appreciated, understudied, astounding poets need readers and research. Their work will be read and discussed, and ideas for original research as well as location of sources—especially at Columbia University and the NY Public Library—will be shared.

Poetry in ten different languages—including French, Tagalog, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Old English, Xhosa, and Serbo-Croatian. New York poets/performers join native speakers in readings and translations of favorite poems from foreign lands. Hosted by writer and poetic curator Elena Alexander.

Proceeds support Poets House and Mad Alex Arts Foundation.

In our first program of a three-year collaborative with selected New York Public Library (NYPL) branch libraries, Pulitzer Prize winner Philip Levine reads and discusses his work and the poetry of Edward Thomas, turn-of-the-century English poet; Sterling Brown, African-American poet of the 30s and 40s; and Janel Lewis, a little-known contemporary American treasure

The Hudson River, the city skyline, and your picnic lunch are all part of the poetry at these outdoor readings.

The Hudson River, the city skyline, and your picnic lunch are all part of the poetry at these outdoor readings.

The Hudson River, the city skyline, and your picnic lunch are all part of the poetry at these outdoor readings.

The Hudson River, the city skyline, and your picnic lunch are all part of the poetry at these outdoor readings

We will preview two segments of this just-completed television anthology which takes the pulse of poetry in our nation by traveling its length and width to capture the words of more than sixty poets. The United States of Poetry is a five-part series of half-hour programs slated to air on public television stations beginning in early 1996. A production of Washington Square Films and a public television presentation of ITVS.

Acknowledged as one of the greatest of French poets, René Char (1907-1988) began as a Surrealist but later embraced existential and metaphysical themes. Translator and editor Mary Ann Caws will read and discuss his work as well as present film and audio clips.
Introduced by Mark Rudman, editor of Pequod