Dear Friends,
The swelter of high summer––and even a few rare spring days––with some blustery fall storms crammed in between: and that’s just a week in June in New England! No wonder we’re so emotionally mercurial! But the calendar informs me that we’ve crossed the Summer Solstice, so I’ll take it on faith that the green season hereabouts is safely in full swing. A few fine things to report to you about: the fanfare for WE (too) the People; a preview of two new exciting programs for the fall; and a host of volunteer activities for those who would like to become more engaged with the work of our Club.
WE (too) THE PEOPLE
The final summer of our ambitious literary undertaking, WE (too) THE PEOPLE, is about to begin. Though I announced in April the dates for another stellar line-up, I’ll offer a reminder here in case you haven’t marked your calendars–– and tell you about one special addition to the mix. The first summer of WE (too)… featured a former US Poet Laureate, Robert Pinsky, to inaugurate the series–– and I’m delighted to say we’ll have another to start the summer of America’s 250th. On July 12th, Tracy K. Smith, Laureate Emerita and Pulitzer Prize-winner, will kick off the summer. Tracy is no stranger to most of us since she was born in Massachusetts and is currently the Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University. An award-winning poet, memoirist, editor, translator, and librettist, she is a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
On July 26th––poet, educator, and music critic Lloyd Schwartz will be awarded NEPC’s Sam Cornish Prize, given in recognition of a poet of long-standing artistry, literary advocacy, and generous mentorship who has made a significant impact on the literary communities of New England and beyond. Sharing that bill will be the Commonwealth’s very first Poet Laureate, Regie Gibson, both reading and performing with our musical guests. Then, on August 2nd, Major Jackson will be our featured poet. A much-honored writer, editor, and anthologist, Major is the recipient of fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, John S. Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. But, as a cherry on top, the reading will open with a brief sampling from Kirun Kapur, author of two much-honored collections and a finalist in the 2025 NEPC Amy Lowell Prize contest–– and that selection (drumroll please!) was recently awarded a Pushcart Prize!
Finally, on August 9th, the concluding WE (too) reading will feature the 2025 Pulitzer Prize-winner Marie Howe, who will be here to accept NEPC’s 2026 Golden Rose Award. From 2012-2014, Marie served as the Poet Laureate of New York State; she is currently the poet-in-residence at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, as well as a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. No less than Stanley Kunitz wrote of her: “Marie Howe’s poetry is luminous, intense, and eloquent, rooted in an abundant inner life. Her long, deep-breathing lines address the mysteries of flesh and spirit, in terms accessible only to a woman who is very much of our time and yet still in touch with the sacred.”
All readings––free and open to the public––will take place on the back lawn of theLongfellow House. A brief musical performance will begin at 2:45 p.m., and the poetry introductions will begin promptly at 3 p.m. (In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved next door to the Lincoln Institute.) Come join us to help celebrate the commonality of the WE upon which this country was founded, that Walt Whitman extolled, and which will not be extinguished despite the powerful forces who might dream otherwise.
Two new poetry programs:
In the fall, we are hoping to debut two new poetry programs that should offer exciting opportunities for our membership. We’ve asked James Fraser (manager of the Grolier Bookshop and publisher of Staircase Books) to curate a new U35 reading series. By helping to run a program especially by and for younger poets, we will not only help to invite a new generation to join our ranks, it will also offer a chance for some of us gray-haired bards (I certainly fit that category) to listen to some of the daring developments in our genre. That can’t help but refresh our own understanding of new possibilities simmering inside our language–– but, on a practical level, might also offer insights into the sensibilities of young journal editors to whom many of us routinely submit our own work.
We will also begin a series of poetry readings/craft talks by some of the leading figures in poetry today, from New England and beyond––again, a way to foster growth in our own imaginative resources. These will be free for all NEPC members, though a fee may be charged for guests from outside the Club. I will offer you more specific details in the coming months.
Volunteers welcome!
Have the time and desire to help NEPC thrive? If you’re able to offer a short-term commitment, we are actively looking for volunteers to help with the summer’s WE (too) programs. We need: people to greet guests; speak about NEPC membership at our information table and help set up for the Golden Rose after-reading reception. If you have the time to become more involved in the Club’s leadership, we have opportunities like contest coordinator (who will handle the logistics surrounding our book and chapbook competitions and interact with the judges). This requires only a once-per-year effort. And for those who want to become more pivotal in the Club’s development, we are seeking new board and advisory members–– one of whom may step into the role of our new Vice President. We hope to begin a more thoughtful plan of succession and will be searching for the next NEPC President to be ready when my own term concludes. Our organization is playing an even more vital role in New England’s literary landscape–– and if you can make a small or large commitment to help, we’ll all be assured our work will continue undiminished for many years to come.
If you’d like to volunteer in any capacity, please write to me at president@nepoetryclub.org.
With my warm regards,
Steven
– President, NEPC