At the Library, we love celebrating our community—and we love celebrating poetry! We are hosting a Favorite Poem Project Reading in person at the Library on Thursday, June 1, from 7:00—8:00 pm. Hear poems that are special to your neighbors and reacquaint yourself with how vital poetry is in our lives.
Join readers including celebrated Pastry Chef (and local resident) Gale Gand, longtime Deerfield High School English teacher Michael Wolf, DPL staff members, and other friends, family, and familiar faces from around our Village in continuing this wonderful, nation-wide, 25-year tradition of the Favorite Poem Project. It promises to be a joyful and enlivening evening together.
The Favorite Poem Project was started by poet Robert Pinksy during his time as U.S. Poet Laureate (‘97-’00) as a series of readings featuring “everyday” people from a variety of backgrounds—from civic leaders to school children—reading a favorite poem and sharing with their community what it means to them. You can find out more about the project, including their popular video series, at favoritepoem.org.
Our event came about when Robert Pinsky personally asked us to host a Favorite Poem Project Reading at our Library. We are honored to share a podcast interview we hosted with Robert Pinsky for our Deerfield Public Library Podcast several weeks ago about his new memoir Jersey Breaks: Becoming an American Poet.
If you are interested in participating on June 1st as a reader or just as an audience member, sign up and select your role. If you’d like to be considered as a reader, please note the only rule for an event affiliated with the Favorite Poem Project is that poems read/recited are NOT poems the readers or their friends or relatives have written—but rather published poems they have read, perhaps many times, and to which they feel a personal attachment.
We have many more upcoming poetry programs, including our third year of Queer Poem-a-Day, our Pride Month celebration of contemporary LGBTQIA+ poets.
Poetry Writing Workshop with Lisa Hiton (Virtual) [Full, join waitlist]
Mondays, June 5, 12, 19: 6:30—8:00 pm
Queer Poem-a-Day presents a three-week poetry writing workshop, led by poet Lisa Hiton. Open to poetry writers of all experience levels.
Classics Book Discussion: Gertrude Stein & Margaret Wise Brown (Hybrid)
Thursday, June 22: 7pm—8:30 pm
Packets available at the Adult Services Desk, or by pdf.
We’ll take a close look at two classic, bestselling queer American female poets who inspired each other along with millions of others–Gertrude Stein & Margaret Wise Brown.
Queer Poem-a-Day Capstone Lecture (Virtual)
Thursday, June 29, 2023
The co-directors of Queer Poem-a-Day offer their traditional final lecture wrapping up the month, with a special focus this year on poetic lineage.
