Poetry reading a huge success!

Monday night's poetry reading was a huge success, with 96 people attending! The room was packed! Many young poets read their work as their parents and friends looked on. A few poets chose to receive their books without reading their poems, but everyone received hearty applause. Guest poets Jayne Warren and Zoe Mason, students from the writing studio at the Walnut Hill School, entertained the crowd by reading poems from their younger days, and then closed the program by reading some of their more recent work. It was an inspiring night.

Poetry Anthology bigger than ever!!

Thanks for your submissions. This year we had 140 young poets submit their work for our seventh annual anthology. Many of them will be reading their work at our poetry reading in celebration of the release of the book, so come and hear them!

Poetry Reading

Come hear young poets read their work at the Westwood Library's Poetry Reading on Monday, April 9, at 7:00 pm. The reading is in celebration of the release of the 2007 Poetry Anthology and will feature guest poets Mitch Dewar, Zoe Mason, and Jayne Warren, all students from the writing studio at the Walnut Hill School.

Jayne Warren to read at Porter Square Books

Jayne Warren will join with other members of the Workshop for Publishing Poets in a reading at Porter Square Books in Cambridge. The reading will take place on Monday, March 5, at 7:00 pm. If you enjoyed hearing Jayne read at the Westwood Library's poetry reading last year, hear her read some of her most recent work.

Send Us Your Poems!

The Westwood Library is now accepting submissions for the 2007 Anthology of Original Poetry. The anthology, which began 6 years ago with poetry by middle and high school students, this year will include poetry by students in grades 3 - 12. Submitters need not be Westwood residents. Send us one poem, no longer than 30 lines, with family friendly content and language. This is not a contest! Every poem will be published. Poems must be received by March 23. Anthologies will be available at a Book Release Celebration/Poetry Reading on April 9. Send poems to westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com, and include your name, grade, school name, email address, and telephone number.

Poetry Workshops a Huge Success!

30 local kids showed up at the Westwood Library on Jan. 31 to learn about writing poetry from Barbara Helfgott Hyett. In each hour-and-a-half workshop, Hyett stressed some of her rules for writing poetry: Write everything down! The eraser is your enemy! Cross out, don't erase! Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite!

Don't forget to sign up

for the poetry workshops this week with Barbara Helfgott Hyett! The workshops are a wonderful opportunity for kids to work with a professional poet. See previous blog for more info or call 781-320-1042 to register.

Positively Poetry

Positively Poetry will take place at the Westwood Public Library from January through April, 2007. The series will begin with poetry workshops with Boston area poet Barbara Helfgott Hyett on January 31. The library will publish its annual Anthology of Original Poetry, this year including poetry from students in grades 3 - 12. The final event will be a poetry reading at the library in April, where students can read their poems. Check the blog for updates, or call 781-320-1042 for more information. Positively Poetry is made possible by a grant from the Westwood Educational Foundation

Poetry Writing Workshops

Boston-area poet/educator Barbara Helfgott Hyett will visit the Westwood Public Library on Wednesday, January 31, to conduct poetry writing workshops for students. Helfgott Hyett has worked as a Visiting Poet in over 60 school districts in Massachusetts, and has taught at a number of colleges and universities. She is the author of four books of poetry: The Tracks We Leave, Natural Law, The Double Reckoning of Christopher Columbus, and In Evidence: Poems of the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps. The first workshop, from 1:30 – 3:00, is for students in grades 6, 7, and 8. A second workshop, from 3:15 – 4:45, will be for students in grades 3, 4, and 5. The workshops kick off the Positively Poetry series at the library, and are made possible by a grant from the Westwood Educational Foundation. Registration is required. Call 781-320-1042.