Dear Friends,
I hope I am not being foolhardy, but I’m about to carry my snow shovel from the front porch down to the basement for storage. I know–– we’ve all found ourselves regretful in the past over premature celebration of spring’s final arrival and vindictive New England weather. But judging by the blooming in my wife’s garden, it feels safe this time. Cross your fingers!
I have three large pieces of business to share with you here.
Linda Haviland Conte
I’d be surprised if there’s anyone in the NEPC who hasn’t been introduced to Linda. A longtime Club member, she has been in leadership for over a decade, currently serving as the organization’s Vice President. But feeling the need to attend to other important issues in her life–– family, house, health, not to mention time to focus on her own poetry–– she’s made the difficult decision to step down from her leadership position, using the end of the spring contests
as a point of departure.
Early on, Linda was the Chair of Membership, so I imagine most of you have interacted with her in past years; her efforts have helped many take advantage of all the Club has to offer. More recently, she was involved in choosing a web developer for our new membership system, which allows you to renew your membership and make donations online, and enables digital applications for all our competitions. After our former Co-Presidents left office, Linda stepped in as Interim President, keeping the ship on course and heading the search committee that eventually brought me into this position (for which I’m personally grateful). There really isn’t any aspect of our organization’s activities that Linda hasn’t been part of –from finances and fundraising to the poetry contests, readings, and workshops. Her commitment demonstrates her belief in the importance of poetry, especially in these difficult times, and in the expanded role NEPC has begun to play in the broader literary community. We are just beginning to hunt for a person who might step into this vital role — not to replace her, that will be impossible –– but to carry on her important work.
The Way Onward from Here
Following Linda’s departure, we are currently seeking at least two new additions to the Board and/or Advisory Board. NEPC is at a crucial juncture right now. With so much turmoil in our country, I think it’s vital that every poet, every artist, make sure their voice is heard, as the path forward for our country is being determined. If you believe the work of this organization can play
an important role in New England’s cultural landscape and are willing to add your time and energy to help us continue to grow and evolve, I would love to hear from you. Or if you have suggestions of people who might appreciate an invitation to play a larger role in our Club’s activities, you can pass along their names, and we will reach out to them. There are small and large opportunities available, and we hope some of you step forward. We are especially eager to get more young poets involved in steering NEPC’s future. With our fundraising efforts, for example, we’ve been working to expand our programming while keeping the Club on sound fiscal ground. But if we don’t have the next generation of poet-leaders to help guide us, I fear our future may be in doubt.
I know that most of us would be content to remain home alone, sitting at our desks, hunched over a notebook or keyboard, and to be honest, I certainly share that feeling. But I hope you think this 115-year-old literary community NEPC has fostered is also worthy of your talents. Now would be a wonderful time to step forward– to help us support the diverse and unimpeded imaginative life of every individual wielding a pen.
WE (too) THE PEOPLE
Lastly, I am happy to finally announce the line-up for the final summer of our ambitious literary undertaking, WE (too) THE PEOPLE. After much effort over the winter months, we’ve arrived at what we are certain is another stellar line-up. The kick-off reading last year featured a former US Poet Laureate, Robert Pinsky; so it seems fitting that we will again feature a former US Laureate, and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, for the July 12th opening: Tracy K. Smith. 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.
Here is the line-up for the rest of the events: July 26th –-poet and music critic Lloyd Schwartz will be awarded the 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. All who know Lloyd and his work will celebrate this selection. Sharing that bill will be the Commonwealth’s very first Poet Laureate, Regie Gibson. Regie is a poet/educator/performer of tremendous dynamism and musicality, demonstrating that the bardic tradition is alive and well. 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. I’ll be excited to hear him read from Razzle Dazzle, his New and Selected Poems.
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 the Longfellow House Historical Site. 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.) More details will be shared as we get closer to the events, but we wanted you to be able to mark your calendars. 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.
With my warm regards,
Steven Ratiner
– President, NEPC