HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-13 Poet Laureate Committee Minutes North Andover Poet Laureate Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday March 13, 2024 7:00 PM
Stevens Memorial Library— Community Meeting Room
Public access email: poeteimaiillspinoirtlhaindoveirima.gov
Attendees: PLC: Karen Kline (PLC chair), Signe Spencer, Dan Speer, Christa Lamb
Jason O'Toole (Poet Laureate), Mark Bohrer(past Poet Laureate)
New prospective PLC members: Graham Jackson,Jeanne Madden
1. Welcome-opening poem—Graham Jackson read "Ars Poetica" by Archibald MacLeish
2. PLC Recruiting to fill 3 open positions
o Welcome to Graham Jackson—he plans to join. Signup directions were sent to group.
o Discussed others to invite- Past adult poetry winners and submitters?Table to next meeting.
o Next meeting: think about other ways to recruit new committee members
ACTION - Karen: invite teachers (like Jeanne Caron) who have contributed to join Poet Laureate Committee or
help on the contest
3. Report from Poet Laureate—Jason O'Toole
o March 24 World Poetry Day(Mark Lipman, org) Winnekeni Castle Haverhill—Jason will read
o March 30 Purple Couch—NA Poets Corner—Feature Poets: Claire Conroy and Myles Burr
o April 27th—Purple Couch—NA Poets Corner—Feature Poet: Elizabeth Wolf
o Date TBD—Purple Couch—NA Poets Corner- Heather Bryant
4. Anne Bradstreet Poetry Contest 2024—reviewed Contest Planning Checklist document
"I believe that the student poets are going to remember reading their poems at this event their whole lives."
o Theme for 2024: Proposed:
■ "World Changing Words-Words can change the world. What will yours be?
o Review Contest schedule
■ Revised dates:Awards Celebration changed to May 25 (rain date Jun 1)
o Review Contest Tasks
■ Christa and Graham offered to be contest coordinators
o Review Contest Promotion Plans
o Propose People for Judging Panels—Karen invited
• Previous years had 2 panels (Grade School and MS/HS/Adult)
o Review Contest Rules
■ Discuss proposed rule changes, decision to keep contest a North Andover event.
• One change approved: extend to Kindergarten.
5. Friends of Anne Bradstreet updates—Karen Kline
o Discussion of excavation at Phillips house (across from Parson Barnard house), identified as site of
Anne Bradstreet house that burned in 1666.
o Website: https://www.bradstreetphillips.org/
6. Youth Poet Laureate and HS poetry—No events/activities planned at HS
7. Any other business— No other business discussed
8. Next meeting dates
o Next official PLC meeting—date not set.
9. Closing Poem—Dan Speers
10. Adjournment