HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-02-09 Poet Laureate Committee Minutes North Andover Poet Laureate Committee Meeting Minutes
February 9, 2023 6:00 PM
Stevens Memorial Library— Community Meeting Room
Public access email: ,goeteii iii it ii
1. Attendees: Karen Kline (PLC chair),Jason O'Toole, Christa Lamb,Taylor Mace, Mark Bohrer(Poet Laureate),
o Other invitees not present: Lily Crane, Kaleb Rhoton, NAHS Youth Poet Laureates
2. Welcome-Invite reading of an opening poem
o Christa read a poem—Freddie
for her Brittany Spaniel
3. Poet Laureate changes
o Mark is planning to step down as of July 2023
o time to recruit for next PL
Jason would be interested in being Poet Laureate. We would need to get town approval on a
non-North Andover resident or change the requirement,which also would require town
approval.
4. PL committee recruiting
o There are 3 openings on the committee
o Mark advertised on Facebook—posted it on 2/8.
o Jason—ACTION—advertise on Next Door
o Mark/Karen—ACTION—send invitation for new PLC members to local churches
■ North Parish - Kim Adami
Trinitarian Church—contact?
St Pauls—contact?
St Michaels—contact?
o Mark-ACTION—schedule introductory session at library—to proceed next meeting Thurs March 2nd_
7 pm (30 min)
• "Interested in Poetry in North Andover?
• Find out about the Poet Laureate Committee
• Come to an informational meeting at Stevens Memorial Library
5. Anne Bradstreet Poetry Contest 2023-schedule
o moved up by 2 weeks this year
Sun Mar 5t" send teaser email with short summary of contest rules to schools& last 2 years of
submitters, an "It's coming..." kind of email.
Sun March 19t" Event Announced to schools and public
• this gives 4 full weeks (same as last year)
• website, signs,flyers in stores, email to schools/past submitters
■ Fri April 14t" Submissions Due: (Friday before school vacation)
■ Sat Apr 29t"Announce Winners
Sat May 6-Awards Ceremony on North Andover Common: Saturday
• Sat May 13t" rain date
o Promote contest by Popup poetry in March/April—2 or 3 places
6. Theme Anne Bradstreet poetry—pick a verse or a poem of hers
Contest Title: "Let Anne Be Your Muse"
The theme is Anne Bradstreet poetry.
Find a verse or poem you love from Anne Bradstreet and use it as a prompt for a poem—let
Anne be your inspiration!
In the contest announcement,to help out adults and kids, we'll provide 4 suggested prompts
(verses)from her poems, plus pointers to other poems. But lines from any of her poems can be
used as the starting point.
Here are two that immediately came to mind—
• 1 am obnoxious to each carping tongue/Who says my hand a needle better fits./A
poet's pen all scorn I should thus wrong/ For such despite they cast on female wits;/
If what I do prove well, it won't advance,/They'll say it's stolen, or else, it was by
chance.
■ and
• If ever two were one,then surely we. If ever man were loved by wife,then thee; If
ever wife was happy in a man, Compare with me ye women if you can.
■ Source: https://guotepark.com/authors/anne-bradstreet/
o Use one of these or choose another Anne Bradstreet verse
o Include short bio
o The themes are eternal -she wrote about these topics:
■ Affection for a spouse, House burning down, family member dying
■ child being born, striving for equality against the odds, love of nature, love of knowledge
o Awards-T-shirts to the winners/finalists?
o Karen—ACTION—reach out to Melissa Rodrigues for funding promotions and awards
o Reminder—do a survey to all the submitters (surveymonkey)
7. Announcements
o Mark has 2 upcoming feature shows:
■ Feb 14 Frost Hoot
■ April 19t" Haverhill River Bards
8. Youth Poet Laureate and HS poetry
o No events/activities planned at HS
o Jen Paradise reached out to Laura Harrington—but due to time constraints and some personal ones,
Laura is not able to pull this together this year. Maybe next year?
9. Poetry Plans- Mark
■ Next Pop-Up Poetry planned for April during National Poetry Month
• Location ideas- month of April
• Mad Maggie's,Town Hall, Memorial Park across from the library?
10. Any other business
11. Next meeting date—Thu March 2nd 7PM
12. Adjournment